


High School Love Story

by forheart



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, As Will Tags, F/F, F/M, Genderbending, M/M, asshole freshmen, bitter junhui, now imagine seventeen is the cast of that manga, relationships will change as story progresses, remember every cheesy shoujo high school manga you ever read in high school, see? i told you tags would change, why? idk blame their cute high school concepts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-31
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-08-28 03:50:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8430676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forheart/pseuds/forheart
Summary: Third year student, Wen Junhui, makes a bet with the school prince, his best friend Yoon Jeonghan, that he can get a girlfriend before she does. Ill advice is given, secrets are revealed, chaos ensues, and Junhui reaffirms his growing suspicion that freshmen are not to be trusted. Especially if those freshmen are named Boo Seungkwan and Lee Seokmin, the self appointed moderators of the bet. The four act story of how Junhui was not single by the time he graduated high school





	1. In which Junhui tries (and fails) to use Common Sense

1.

Jeonghan was the School Prince.

Jeonghan had shoulder length dark brown hair, a defined jawline, and double eyelids. Jeonghan’s shoulders nicely filled the uniform navy blue blazer. Jeonghan bowed and held open doors for female classmates and complimented their hair and make up. Girls would blush when they made eye contact with Jeonghan. On Valentine’s day, Jeonghan’s locker was filled to the top with confession chocolates and on a regular day it wasn’t uncommon for there to be a letter or two.

Take today, a regular Wednesday.

In Jeonghan’s shoes, there was a flower printed small envelope.

Junhui glared at the offending object.

Jeonghan’s prince status bothered Junhui.

It bothered Junhui for many reasons, but the first, and most important, was that Jeonghan was not a boy.

“You’re a girl,” Junhui shouted.

Everyone in the locker room turned to face them.

Jeonghan and Junhui stared at the envelope.

“A girl!” Junhui repeated for emphasis.

Jeonghan shrugged. She opened up the envelope and unfolded the pink paper. She smiled.

“You wear skirts, you have long hair, and you have boobs. Why do girls leave you messages?” Junhui whined.

“It’s a talent,” Jeonghan said with a smirk. She pocketed the letter, brushed back her hair, and slipped on her school slippers. “And you know I’d wear pants if they let me.”

Junhui shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Shall we go?” Jeonghan asked.

Junhui sighed and followed her to their class.

Jeonghan’s title as School Prince bothered Junhui for many reasons. 1) Jeonghan was a girl. 2) Jeonghan was his best friend, so he got to see all the confession letters, the chocolates, and the cute little presents girls gave her. 3) Junhui was a guy and he was attractive, why doesn’t he ever get anything?

Junhui lamented this during their lunch break. Junhui had his head down on his desk and gazed at his reflection in a handheld mirror.

“I’m handsome right?” Junhui asked his reflection.

 “Of course you are, sweetheart,” Seungkwan said in a patronizing tone. She patted his head, then removed her handheld mirror from his grasp. “But you know, there’s you and then there’s Jeonghan.”

Junhui glared. “Is that any way to speak to your elder?”

Seungkwan shrugged. “I’m being honest,” she said as she touched up her eyeliner.

Seungkwan’s open make up bag sat on Jeonghan’s desk displaying various bb creams, eye shadows, make up, and an eye torture device.

(“It curls eyelashes,”Seungkwan had explained once.

“Don’t lie, it chops them off,” Junhui said.

“Watch I’ll show you how it works,” Seungkwan beckoned for him to come closer.

“Get your devil device away from me.”)

Seungkwan continued, “Jeonghan’s looks are perfect.”

 “You say that, even though Hansol is sitting right there,” Junhui said.

Hansol sat in the desk next to Seungkwan’s. Her English homework was spread on Junhui’s desk, Hansol twisted in his seat so that he easily filled in the answers.

“Please Hansol doesn’t need his ego boosted,” Seungkwan said. She put the eyeliner back in the bag and grabbed the mascara. “He gets confessions all the time.”

“I’m going to meet someone by the school gardens tomorrow,” Hansol said.

Seungkwan glared at him. Hansol smiled, and blinked his eyes at her. Seungkwan rolled her eyes. She turned back to her mirror and continued touching up her makeup.

“You’d let him do that?” Jeonghan asked. She sat in her desk, the one attached to Junhui’s, her eyes glued to her phone as she kind of-sort of participated in the conversation. She refreshed her twitter feed.

“As long as he does my English homework I don’t care what he does,” Seungkwan said.

“Aren’t you two married?” Junhui asked.

Hansol’s nose scrunched up. Seungkwan’s face pulled to one of pure judgement.

“That’s like dating my sister,” Hansol said.

“Gross,” Seungkwan muttered.

Jeonghan laughed.

Junhui groaned.

“How does he get confessions?” Junhui muttered.

“If it makes you feel any better, she’s in your grade,” Hansol said with a smile.

Junhui looked scandalized. “How?”

“Chill, it’s because he’s half American,” Seungkwan said, tone disinterested. “The foreign thing really turns girls on.”

“I’m foreign too!” Junhui protested, “I’m Chinese.”

“Oh sweet naïve Joonhwi. You have to be the cool kind of foreign.” Seungkwan said. She closed her handheld mirror and smiled at Junhui.

Junhui glared. He crossed his arms and lay his head on them. “You all suck.”

Seungkwan slapped his arm and said, “Don’t wrinkle my homework.”

“There, there,” Jeonghan said. She half-heartedly patted Junhui’s back. It was supposed to be comforting. It felt more like thumping. “One day someone will confess to you.”

Lunch was almost over. Hansol and Seungkwan left to their classroom, Hansol carried Seungkwan’s homework and her make up bag.

Junhui didn’t pay attention to the math lesson. He stared at the flower printed envelope sticking out of Jeonghan’s blazer pocket.

He dwelled on it.

And dwelled.

And then came upon a thought.

If Jeonghan got confessions without even trying, maybe he should actually try.

Instead of appealing to many girls, he should focus his attention on only one. Then he won’t get multiple confessions. Just one continuous one.

As soon as the teacher left the classroom, Junhui pointed in Jeonghan’s face and shouted, “I bet I can get a girlfriend before you!”

The whole class turned to stare at them.

Jeonghan blinked at the accusing finger.

“Are you serious?” Jeonghan scoffed.

“Deadly,” Junhui said.

Jeonghan sighed. She slipped her blazer over her shoulders. “Girls aren’t a competition.” She grabbed her backpack. “But if they were, I’d totally be winning.”

Junhui’s glare intensified. “Competition starts now. I’m going to get a girlfriend before you.”

Jeonghan looked her best friend up and down.

When Junhui’s expression didn’t change, Jeonghan smiled.

“Sure,” she agreed, “why not.”

~~

 

After school, at the outdoor basketball courts. The after school clubs were still in session. But the outdoor basketball courts were empty except for three students.

Seungcheol dribbled the ball in place. He shot from the 2 point line and successfully scored. He grabbed the ball and dribbled back to the 2 point line.

Jeonghan sat in the bleachers next to Wonwoo, Seungcheol’s folded blazer lay next to them.

“Why did you encourage him?” Seungcheol asked.

Jeonghan shrugged. She spoke, “He was so hyped about it, I didn’t want to shut him down.”

Seungcheol shook his head. He shot the ball from the 2 point line. He missed. Jeonghan snickered.

“He’s going to hurt himself,” Seungcheol said.

“He already did.” Wonwoo said, his deep baritone voice called their attention. He pulled a carton of cigarettes from his blazer pocket. Jeonghan held out her hand. Wonwoo gave her one. He lit his cigarette first, then hers. “His self-esteem must be shit if he’s starting this dumb competition.”

Wonwoo took a drag, then held out the carton to Seungcheol. Seungcheol shook his head. “I like having lungs.”

Wonwoo shrugged. He took another drag and asked, “What started it?”

“I found another letter in my locker,” Jeonghan said. “And then he snapped.”

“Did you brag?” Seungcheol asked.

“Nope, I just read it,” Jeonghan said, “They’re never serious anyway. They all say shit like _unnie_ is my ideal type, if only you were a boy.”

“That’s cute,” Seungcheol said.

Jeonghan shook her head, “I’m tired of fake confessions.”

“No offense, but what are the chances of there being another lesbian at the school?” Seungcheol asked.

Jeonghan glared.

Seungcheol picked up the basketball and began dribbling.

Jeonghan stood up. She dropped her cigarette on the ground and stomped it out. “I have to go. Jun’s foreign group is getting out soon.”

“I’ll go with you,” Wonwoo offered, “the basketball team gets released at the same time.”

“I’m fine,” Jeonghan snapped, she grabbed her backpack and walked toward the school.

Wonwoo watched her retreating back with a sympathetic expression. He then glared at Seungcheol.

Seungcheol shrugged his shoulders and asked, “What did I do?”

Wonwoo scoffed at him.

He took a final drag from his cigarette and muttered “idiot” under his breath.

~~

Jeonghan was on the second floor, outside of the foreign group classroom. She looked out the window, at the garden, where some girl from her class was going to confess to half American Hansol tomorrow. She glared. Hansol received letters with times and dates on them.

Jeonghan’s letters had praises, and there was always a “but”.

A first year wrote a sonnet about Jeonghan’s hair.

A second year cross stitched her name onto a pillow.

A classmate baked her one dozen cookies.

The girls all said that Jeonghan would make the perfect _boyfriend._

Boyfriend.

Jeonghan hated the word.

The door swung open.

Hansol exited first. His eyes widened slightly when he saw Jeonghan.

She gave him a smile, and a small wave. She said, “Jun and I are walking home together.”

Hansol nodded, “That’s cool.” His expression brightened, “Seungkwan and Seokmin started a betting pool on who was going to win: you or Jun.”

“Seokmin got involved already?” Jeonghan asked. She shouldn’t be surprised. Seungkwan was never good at keeping quiet. “Who did you bet on?”

“Jun,” Hansol answered. Jeonghan glared. Hansol continued, “If it makes you feel better, I kind of regret it.”

Jeonghan was about to ask why when Junhui stepped out of the classroom with a look of pure triumph on his face.

“Jeonghan, watch as I win a girl’s affections!” Junhui declared.

Jeonghan half laughed. “Which girl?”

“The beautiful underclassman, Lee Jihoon.”

Jeonghan’s smile fell.

Junhui struck a triumphant pose.

Hansol had to bite down on his lower lip to stop from laughing.

Junhui kept his pose.

Jeonghan’s eyes widened.

“Are you fucking serious?”

 

2.

Lee Jihoon was a quiet second year student. She was so tiny that she had to get the smallest size of uniform altered to fit her thin waist. Her skin was pale, almost white as snow. She was under 160 cm tall, and had slim legs that girls envied and guys lusted after.

Everyone in the school agreed that she would be the ideal girlfriend, if only she wasn’t fucking terrifying

Despite her tiny stature, Jihoon had a big mouth and was not afraid to use it. She was straightforward to a fault, and told people theirs flaws. She challenged the teachers daily. Their banters usually ended with her winning. Rumor has it that she once made the principal cry. This has yet to be confirmed nor denied.

Jihoon’s pink long hair cascades down her back, and is a complete violation of the school’s anti hair dye policy. The prefects and members of student council have yet to write her up.

Jihoon was ranked in the top three of her grade and spent up to 21 hours a week at the study room in her neighborhood. For one brief week she was fourth place. After a brief confrontation with Jihoon the former third place is now ranked 21 and shudders when she passes Jihoon in the halls.

A brave freshman pinched Jihoon’s ass once. His wrist broke shortly afterwards.

Jeonghan loved Jihoon in a way that could only be described as God-like admiration, and considered Jihoon to be one of her best friends. But there was no way in hell she would ever romantically pursue the girl.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Jeonghan asked.

She walked behind Junhui, on their way to his family’s apartment.

“She’s cute,” Junhui said.

“But she’s terrifying,” Jeonghan said.

“Exactly,” Junhui said.

They stopped at the intersection.

Jeonghan stared. Junhui had the overconfident smile painted on his face.

“What do you mean?” Jeonghan asked.

The light turned green. They crossed. Junhui explained, “Jihoon terrifies everyone, meaning every boy in school is scared to approach her. Therefore I should have no rival for her attention.”

Jeonghan stared with her mouth hung open.

Junhui’s smile grew wider. “My plan is foolproof.”

Jeonghan sighed. “Whatever.”

They arrived at Junhui’s apartment complex. He typed in the security code.

“Don’t come crawling back to me when she breaks your dick or something,” Jeonghan said.

“Please, dicks can’t be broken,” Junhui said. He help open the door for her.

Jeonghan smiled and walked through the door.

Junhui’s face fell. “Right?” He chased after her, “Please tell me my dick can’t break.”

~~

 

Class grades were divided up by floors. During his lunch break, Junhui climbed down the stairs to the second floor, with Jeonghan trailing after him, and peeked into each classroom until he found Jihoon’s.

“2A,” Junhui said.

“I knew that,” Jeonghan said.

Junhui glared. “You let me waste my lunch break.”

Jeonghan shrugged, “You didn’t ask.”

“Fuck you.”

The next day, he brought a package of cookies to school. He walked past her classroom once. Jihoon was bent over a book.

Junhui walked by again. Jihoon had opened her notebook to take notes.

Junhui walked by yet again. Jihoon had switched out her blue pen for her green one.

Junhui walked up the stairs to the third floor and his classroom at the end of the hallway. Jeonghan, Seungkwan, and Hansol sat at the desks and smiled at him. He ignored them, crossed his arms, and buried his face in his arms.  

Jeonghan propped her face on her hands. “Did you talk to her?” Jeonghan asked with a smile.

“Shut up,” Junhui muttered.

Jeonghan laughed. She split the cookies with Hansol and Seungkwan.

On the third day Junhui dragged Jeonghan with him.

They stopped in front of Jihoon’s classroom. Junhui stopped, gripped onto Jeonghan’s shoulders and said, “You’re her friend, introduce me.”

“What?”

“Go!” Junhui shoved her into the classroom.

Jeonghan stumbled but easily regained her composure. She waved to the girls in the back before she stepped up to Jihoon’s desk. Jihoon blinked up at her. Jeonghan spoke. Jihoon laughed. Junhui envied Jeonghan.

Jihoon pushed her hair behind her ear. She smiled, a full gummy smile. Her whole face lit up when she smiled.

Junhui took a deep breath.

He stepped into the room. He walked right up to Jihoon’s desk.

Jihoon and Jeonghan turned to look at him.

He froze.

Jihoon glared.

Jeonghan sighed. “Jihoon this is Joonhwi. He’s my best friend.”

“You’ve mentioned him before,” Jihoon said, voice laced with ice. “The idiot right?”

Junhui clamped up.

“Nope that was another idiot,” Jeonghan said. She patted his back. “Joon this is my friend Jihoon,” she patted his back harder.

Junhui stuck out his hand, “It’s nice to meet you, noona.”

Jihoon shook his hand. “Aren’t you older than me?”

“Joonhwi’s Chinese, he doesn’t understand honorifics,” Jeonghan said quickly.

Silence.

From the three of them.

Jeonghan spoke in a forced tone, “Why are you here Jun?”

“I was wondering if I could copy your math notes, Jeonghan,” Junhui said. He stared down at his feet.

Jihoon’s eyes darted back and forth between the two of them.

“Okay we should go,” Jeonghan turned them around. She waved at Jihoon, “It was nice talking to you.”

Jihoon waved half heartedly.

When they were out of earshot, Jeonghan huffed, “Next time, think of a plan before you throw me into girls.”

“Next time, I’ll have a better plan,” Junhui said in a small voice.

They walked back to their class, Junhui’s head hung in shame. Seungkwan and Hansol sat in the desks in front of theirs, bright eyed and wide smiled.

Junhui slumped on his desk.

Jeonghan pulled up her phone and scrolled through her twitter feed.

“How did it go?” Seungkwan asked, her face pure joy.

“Shut up,” Junhui mumbled.

Seungkwan laughed, “I’m going to win.”

“Is it too late to get my money back,” Hansol teased.

Junhui slumped further.

Jeonghan didn’t try to defend him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I had completely sworn off writing. But life was stressful, and scrolling through the seventeen tag relieved some of that stress and before I knew it I had 5k online. 5K OF JUST AN OUTLINE. I'm about a fourth of the way through and it's 15,000 words so we'll see how long this monster of a fic ends up being.
> 
> Also, I apologize for the akward beginning. I promise the writing flows more as the story progresses.
> 
> So far Jeonghan, Seungkwan, and Jihoon are girls


	2. Ask the Fox, He knows Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We watch as our hero Junhui struggles on his journey, gains new companions, and seeks out the advice of someone who actually knows a thing or two about romance.
> 
> warning: sex talk-if it can even be called that- and blushing innocent teenage boys

3

After _the incident_ as Jeonghan referred to it, she refused to participate in Junhui’s idiotic attempts at wooing the school’s ice queen. Which sucked because the people who were willing to help him were of no use whatsoever.

Seungkwan sat at the foot of the stairs next to Hansol and stole food from his lunch box. Seokmin sat on the step above theirs, his mouth was stretched into a too large grin.

“What are you doing here?” Junhui asked.

“I’m keeping an eye on my investment,” Seokmin answered.

Junhui sighed. “Do you have any advice for me?”

Seokmin opened his mouth to speak, but Seungkwan spoke first, “He can’t. That would mean interference and therefore he would forfeit the money.”

Seokmin clamped a hand over his mouth.

Junhui’s eyebrows shot up, “How much did you bet?”

“Unimportant,” Seungkwan said. She pointed to Jihoon’s classroom, “Go flirt. We are only here to observe.”

Junhui sighed. He looked into classroom 2A, where Jihoon diligently read her book. He turned to look at the stairwell, where the three demons sat with various expectant looks on their faces. Seokmin held up his fist and mouthed ‘fighting’. Seungkwan smirked. Hansol ate the cherry tomatoes from his lunch box.

Junhui took a deep breath and walked confidently up to Jihoon’s desk.

“Jihoon?” he said.

She looked up. Her eyebrows furrowed together, “You again?”

Junhui’s pose stiffened. He attempted a wave, “I prefer Joonhwi.”

 He half laughed.

She didn’t.

“If you’re looking for Jeonghan, I think she’s in her classroom,” Jihoon said.

“Actually I was looking for you,” Junhui said.

Jihoon glared, “okay.”

Junhui swallowed. He scratched the back of his head. “What book are you reading?”

She held it up to show him the cover. It was her math textbook.

“Cool, I hear that’s the author’s best one,” Junhui attempted a joke.

Jihoon didn’t laugh.

A pause.

Junhui pointed at the door, “I’m going to leave now.”

“Thanks,” Jihoon said. Her gaze already on her textbook.

Junhui walked out of the classroom. He covered his face with his hand. “That sucked.”

“Yeah it did,” Seungkwan agreed.

Junhui glared, he had almost forgotten about those three.

Hansol looked forlorn, “I threw away my money.”

“Maybe he can turn it around,” Seokmin said, though his tone was uncertain.

“I’m going to win,” Seungkwan sung.

Junhui pushed through them and stormed up the stairs.

~~

As soon as the last bell rang, Junhui ran downstairs. He saw Jihoon just as she was walking out of her classroom. He pushed through the crowd of students in the hallway and asked, “Hey Jihoon, can I walk you home?”

“No thanks.”

“But.”

“Bye,” she said without looking at him.

Junhui watched her retreating figure get lost amongst the students leaving their classrooms.

He groaned, he slumped against the wall and fell to the ground. “This is hard,” he said to himself.

The hallways cleared out.

Junhui ran his hands through his hair, “What do I do?”

“Hey stranger.”

Junhui jumped.

He looked up at the owner of the voice.

A boy with bleached blonde hair leaned out from classroom 2B.

“Why the long face?” he asked.

“It’s nothing,” Junhui mumbled, “I’m having girl problems.”

“Maybe I can help,” the guy ran a hand through his hair, “I’m what the kids call a ladykiller.” He struck a pose.

Junhui chuckled lightly.

The guy’s face pulled into a large smile, his eyes disappeared into slits.

He pointed at his chest with the broom handle, “Kwon Soonyoung, giver of advice.”

“Wen Joonhwi,” Junhui gestured at himself, “guy in need of advice.”

“So Joonhwi, what problems do you have with the ladies?”

“It’s just one lady, and she won’t even look at me.” Junhui’s head hit the back wall.

“That sucks bro,” Soonyoung said, “I’d help you but I’m having trouble with a lady of my own.”

“You two together?” Junhui asked.

“Yeah,” Soonyoung said, a smile on his lips, “It’s been four months now.”

“Congrats,” Junhui said.

“Thanks.”

“What did you do to get her attention?” Junhui asked as he stood up.

Soonyoung started sweeping the classroom, “What does any guy do? Dance in front of her apartment and give her star shaped erasers.”

“I doubt that will work on Jihoon,” Junhui sighed.

Soonyoung’s eyes widened, “So you’re the upperclassman that keeps bothering her.”

“She told you?”

“No. But you’re the only thing 2A has been talking about for the past week,” Soonyoung said while sweeping the classroom.

Junhui leaned against the wall and groaned.

“Chill, they think it’s funny.”

“What about Jihoon?”

Soonyoung paused before answering, “You annoy her.”

Junhui groaned louder.

“It’s okay, most people annoy her,” Soonyoung chuckled, “It’s kind of hard to find someone she actually likes.”

Junhui rubbed his forehead. “But I do know someone, she and Jeonghan text all the time.”

Soonyoung stopped sweeping. “You know Jeonghan too?”

“Yeah she’s like my best friend.” Junhui said.

Soonyoung stared. He started sweeping again as he spoke. “Get her flowers.”

“Flowers?”         

“Yeah like a single flower, not a big bouquet. She may be an ice princess but she’s a sucker for that cheesy romantic stuff,” Soonyoung said, though his tone wasn’t excited as it was moments ago. “Or get her meat buns, she forgets to eat sometimes.”

“I’ll try that,” Junhui said. He picked up his backpack and swung it over his shoulder. “Thanks for the advice.”

“No problem bro. Good luck.”

“Thanks,” Junhui waved as he left.

Soonyoung smiled as he waved good bye, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes.

~~

 

4

Junhui, Jeonghan, Hansol, and Seungkwan stood in a circle in the back of the classroom, fists in the air, and their shoulders locked. Sweat dripped down Junhui’s forehead. Seungkwan chewed on her bottom lip. Then all together, they threw down their fists and shouted “Scissors!”

Jeonghan’s and Seungkwan’s hands were rocks. Hansol and Junhui still had scissors. Their shoulders slumped. Seungkwan cheered, her fist smashed Hansol’s hand. “I want a pork bun.”

Jeonghan punched Junhui’s shoulder with her fist, “Get me one of those red bean fish.”

“Yeah whatever,” Junhui sighed as he walked out of the classroom. Hansol trailed behind him.

“Shouldn’t Jeonghan have thrown scissors?” Hansol mumbled.

“She said that’s not actually a thing,” Junhui said.

“Huh,” Hansol said. He made his hands into two scissors and fitted them together. “I guess you need to be flexible.”

“She said that there are better ways to get more friction,” Junhui said.

Hansol’s cheeks burned red. He covered his face with his hands. “There are no boundaries between you two.”

“None whatsoever,” Junhui laughed. He ran his hands through Hansol’s hair in an attempt to soothe him. Hansol’s cheeks burned a deeper shade of red.

“Hansol, Joonhwi, could you follow me please?” Ms. Jung said. Her smile was wide.

They walked down to her classroom on the second floor, the official foreigner club classroom. “We have two new transfer students. I’m sure you’ll get along with them.”

Mrs. Jung had done three study abroad programs in college, and various foreign mission trips through her church. Junhui found her enthusiasm overbearing at times, but she was the only teacher in the area that was fluent in five languages. He couldn’t resist the familiar warmth in his chest every time he conversed with someone in his mother tongue. And he found her hilarious when she was so excited that she switched from Mandarin to Thai mid-sentence.

“Jisoo, Myungho!”

The two kids in the classroom looked up. One wore a blue button up shirt and had eyes that reminded Junhui of a cat. The other had bleached wavy hair and eyes that took up half his face.

The teacher gestured to the one in the blue shirt. “This is Jisoo, she just moved here from LA.”

Jisoo gave a small smile, lips curling up and reminding Junhui even more of a cat. On her left wrist was a rainbow rubber bracelet, with two female symbols overlapping.

The teacher gestured to the other student, “And Myungho is from China.”

Junhui’s eyes widened.

Myungho gave a slight wave.

Junhui returned the gesture.

“Hansol is from New York, and Joonhwi is also from China. If you need any help please talk to them.” She smiled, obviously pleased with herself. She looked back and forth between the two pairs. “I’ll leave you alone to get to know each other.”

She jumped with each steps, heels bouncing against the tiled floor, and closed the door behind her.

“You’ll want to hide that,” Hansol spoke to Jisoo and pointed to his own wrist, “South Korea isn’t as accepting as LA.”

Jisoo ran a hand through her short hair, “Oh, I know. I just wanted a few friends who knew my sexuality.”

Junhui looked at Myungho. He stared at the ground.

Junhui spoke in mandarin, _“What’s your actual name?”_

Myungho perked up, _“My name is Minghao. You?”_

The accent was unfamiliar. Junhui frowned, _“I’m Junhui. But the teachers call me_ Joonhwi _. Where are you from?”_

_“Liaoning.”_

Junhui’s eyebrows shot up, _“That’s way up north.”_

Minghao smirked, _“I know.”_

“ _I’m from Shenzhen, near Hong Kong_.”

“ _Do you speak Cantonese?”_

“ _Of course.”_ Junhui said in Cantonese. They both laughed. Junhui switched back to Mandarin to ask, “ _What grade are you in?”_

“ _I’m a first year_.”

“ _Do you speak Korean?”_

Minghao smiled sheepishly. He spoke in Korean, “A little. I know some.”

“Some is better than nothing.”

“We spoke Korean at home,” Jisoo spoke, “But I have trouble spelling.”

“I can help you. I’m completely fluent,” Hansol said with pride.

 _“Show off_ ,” Minghao said in Mandarin. Junhui smiled.

“Aren’t you from New York?” Jisoo asked.

“I was,” Hansol said, “From the upper east side.”

“I don’t speak East coast,” Jisoo said.

“I don’t speak cali,” Hansol retaliated.

Jisoo frowned slightly, “No one in California says ‘cali.’ It’s either NorCal, SoCal, or the center part that no one cares about.”

They laughed.

Hansol checked his phone, he groaned. “Seungkwan just texted me five times in a row.”

“Oh yeah the food.”

“Will the student store still be open?”

“We’ll have to see.”

“Nice meeting you.”

“Wait,” Junhui gripped onto Hansol’s shirt collar to hold him back. He handed Minghao his phone, “Let’s exchange numbers, I miss texting people.”

Minghao’s face spread to a smile, “Sure.”

He quickly input his neighbor in Junhui’s phone, and returned. Junhui took it with a smile.

Junhui and Hansol took off.

~~

When Jihoon looked up from her book, there was a pork bun and a bottle of banana milk on her desk. There was also a sticky note that said “Enjoy” signed Joonhwi.

Jihoon scoffed. It slid to a smile. She opened up the bottle and drank the banana milk.

Seungkwan and Seokmin saw this from where they sat in the hallway, angled in a way so that they could view her but could easily hide if she turned their way.

“Was that a smile?” Seungkwan asked in disbelief.

“See, Joonhwi can flirt,” Seokmin said.

Seungkwan huffed, she twisted a long brown lock with her hand. “I wouldn’t call two weeks of work for one smile flirting.”

Seokmin leaned against Seungkwan’s shoulder as he spoke, “Yeah but what has Jeonghan done to win a girl over?”

Seungkwan stilled, her grip tightened on her strands. She spoke in a small haughty voice, “Lots of girls like Jeonghan.”

“But would they date her?”

Seungkwan looped her hair between her fingers. She couldn’t come up with an answer, her silence was proof. Seokmin stepped off the stairwell and walked away with a triumphant smile.

Seungkwan braided part of her hair. It was uneven, lumpy, and with strands sticking out. She left it. She sighed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk if a"foreigner club" is a thing but there was one at my high school and all the kids in it were great friends and bonded over soccer and how hard it is to learn English.


	3. The (Attempted) Wooing of Lee Jihoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our hero, Junhui, is confronted by his best friend. And Minghao should learn to never blindly agree to any favor Junhui asks of him.

5.

Jeonghan eyed the two bulging plastic bags that Junhui held in his left hand.

“Did you buy out the whole convenience store?” Jeonghan asked. She reached into one of the plastic bags and pulled out a bottle of soda.

Junhui took it out of her hands. He snapped, “This isn’t for you. I needed to stock up for the week.”

Jeonghan pouted.

Junhui rolled his eyes. He dug through one of the bags and handed her a box of pepero sticks.  She smiled and took the box from him.

“My latest attempt at wooing was very successful,” Junhui boasted.

“Define successful,” Jeonghan said. She opened up the box of pepero sticks.

“Seokmin told me she smiled.”

Jeonghan’s eyebrows raised. “That’s a high honor from the ice princess.”

They stopped at the crosswalk.

Jeonghan ate two sticks at once. She asked, “How do you even know she likes all of this stuff?”

“Soonyoung told me.”

“Who’s Soonyoung?”

“He’s a second year like Jihoon, I think they had a class together last year,” Junhui explained, “Do you know him? He’s got bleached hair, thin, very loud..”

“Doubt it. She would have complained to me about the loud kid in her class.” The crossing light turned green. They walked across. Jeonghan ate as she spoke, “But the name does sound familiar…”

Jeonghan handed Junhui the empty box. He glared. She shrugged. He dropped it in the plastic bag.

Junhui asked, “You know which locker is Jihoon’s right?”

“Of course.”

From the bag, Junhui pulled a purple pen with a daisy tied to it. “Will you leave this in her locker?”

Jeonghan blinked at the pen. She carefully took it in her hand, “Wow, you’re really trying.”

“Of course, I’ve spent 17 years of my life single, it’s time to change that.”

Jeonghan twisted the daisy pen in her hand. She spoke carefully, “Do you actually like her? Or will any girl do?”

Junhui paused. “Um..”

“Because she is one of my closest friends. I don’t want you to pursue her if you’re only trying to win a bet,” Jeonghan’s tone was serious.

Junhui opened his mouth, then closed it. He racked his brain for words, sentences, anything to end the prolonged silence. His phone vibrated before he could say something stupid. He checked the message. He started running.

“What the hell Joonhwi!” Jeonghan shouted.

Junhui yelled over his shoulder, “Sorry it’s an emergency.”

He ran through the school gates. There were students all over the halls, but his eyes zeroed in on a blonde head of hair. He weaved through the students and tapped on the blonde’s shoulder.

Minghao turned to him with a face full of panic.

“ _Hey!”_ Junhui said with a smile.

Minghao grabbed Junhui’s shoulders and shook him. “ _Everything is in Korean!”_

Junhui grabbed Minghao’s arms steading the both of them. Junhui said, _“You live in Korea.”_

 _“I know,”_ Minghao said. His eyes grew impossibly wider. _“But everything is still in Korean.”_

Junhui patted Minghao’s shoulder in sympathy, “ _Don’t worry I’ll help you.”_

Minghao sighed in relief. In a calmer voice, he asked, _“Do you know where is classroom 1A?”_

Junhui laughed. He wrapped his arm around Minghao’s shoulders and led him in the direction of his classroom.

~~

 

Jihoon found a pen and a daisy in her locker.

“Wow, he’s really going for it.”.

Jihoon had to look up to meet Mingyu’s gaze.

“It’s from the third year, right? The one who visits you during lunch?” Mingyu asked.

“Maybe,” Jihoon spun the flower in her hand and smiled. “Or maybe from someone else.”

Mingyu tilted her head to the side, her long ponytail swayed with the movement. “Who else would it be?”

“No one.” Jihoon secured the daisy to her hair using a bobby pin. She struck a pose. “Do I look sweet and innocent?”

Mingyu scoffed, “Even with a flower, you’re terrifying.” Mingyu shuddered, “I will never forget the time you threatened me with a guitar. My life flashed before my eyes.”

“Perfect,” Jihoon smirked to herself, “Later.”

Mingyu waved good bye to Jihoon. She pulled out her phone to answer text messages as she walked to the school’s lobby.

“Mingyu.”

Mingyu turned around. Seungkwan waved frantically from the end of the hallway, Jeonghan and Wonwoo trailed behind her.

“Hey, short stuff,” Mingyu said.

Mingyu raised her arm, Seungkwan slid against Mingyu’s side and hugged her waist.

“Can you help me study for my math test?” Seungkwan asked.

“Don’t you study with Hansol?” Mingyu asked.

“He’s better with English,” Seungkwan dismissed him. “I got a 30 on my last test I really need the help.” Seungkwan pouted. She leaned onto Mingyu so that all of her weight was on the taller girl.

Mingyu chuckled, “How could I refuse?”

“Easy, I do it all the time,” Wonwoo said.

Seungkwan peeked out from under Mingyu’s arm to glare at Wonwoo. He smirked under her gaze.

“Aren’t you late for basketball practice?” Jeonghan asked Mingyu.

“Coach is out sick, so she cancelled practice,” Mingyu explained. “I was thinking of going to the stands, want to join me?”

“Sure, I could use a smoke break,” Wonwoo said

“Same,” Jeonghan said, “Do you mind if I bum one off you?”

“Can’t you buy your own?”

Jeonghan shoved Wonwoo’s shoulders and said, “I don’t have rich parents.”

Wonwoo shoved Jeonghan back. “Tough luck.”

Seungkwan shoved both Jeonghan and Wonwoo. “Children, stop fighting!”

Wonwoo and Jeonghan glared at Seungkwan. “We’re older than you!” They snapped at the same time.

Seungkwan laughed, she hid behind Mingyu to use her as a human shield.

Jeonghan saw movement at the end of the hall. It was Minghao and Junhui engaged in a conversation. Junhui’s hands moved wildly with each word, Minghao laughed.

Jeonghan waved at them. “Yo, Jun!”

Junhui looked up, his hands dropped to his sides before flailing in the air. “Jeonghan!”

When they were closer, Minghao surprised everyone by turning to Mingyu and saying, “Hello Mingyu.”

To everyone’s continued surprise, Mingyu smiled and said, “Hello Myungho.”

“I didn’t know you knew how to speak,” Seungkwan said to Minghao.

Minghao’s nose scrunched up in disdain, “I can talk.”

“I’ve never heard you,” Seungkwan said.

“We’re in different classes,” Minghao said. And then, in a smaller voice, and in mandarin, so that only Junhui could hear and understand, he said, “ _And because you scare me.”_

Junhui snorted He buried his nose in the crook of his elbow and tried to play it off as a sneeze. Seungkwan and Mingyu looked at Junhui with a quizzical expression. Jeonghan only glared. Junhui knew that he would have to explain himself to her later.

When Junhui felt he was calm enough, he turned to MInghao. “ _Minghao, these are my friends.”_ Junhui pointed to them as he said their names, “Jeonghan and Wonwoo. Don’t worry Wonwoo only looks like a serial killer, he’s too lazy to do anything.”

“Fuck you.”

“No thanks.”

Wonwoo frowned.

Junhui ignored him. His glaze glossed over from Wonwoo, and his eyes widened when he looked up at Mingyu. “Wow, I didn’t know there were people taller than Wonwoo,” Junhui said.

“There’s Junhong in class 2B,” Jeonghan said.

“I said people, not giants.”

“Jun have you ever met Mingyu?” Seungkwan asked. She wrapped her arms around Mingyu’s waist and said, “She’s great, she’s so tall and smart. Her notes are color coded. She reads every book. She finishes every practice problem. She’s the best study partner anyone could ask for.”

“Aw that’s cute that she helps out under classmen,” Junhui said.

Everyone stared at him. Seungkwan glared as if he had grown two heads. Mingyu only looked slightly confused.

Minghao patted Junhui’s back and said, “ _Mingyu and I are in the same class_.”

Junhui’s eyes widened, “You’re a first year?”

“Idiot,” Wonwoo muttered.

~~

 

6.

Jihoon clutched her growling stomach. She eyed the clock. It was independent study time. She had missed lunch, again. She patted her stomach and looked back down at her book. She copied down the formula from her text book. Suddenly a chill went down her spine. She turned to the right.

A kid with large eyes stood next to her desk. She eyed him up and down. He seemed to shrink under her gaze. He was ballsy enough to have blonde hair. Normally she would applaud such blatant disregard for school rules. As it stood she was tired, hungry, and had overextended her mind when studying. Her annoyance overtook any attempt at being nice.

 “Who are you?” Jihoon asked.

His eyes grew wider. He bowed and held out a bag in front of him. “For you,” he said, voice heavily accented.

Jihoon’s chest warmed. She took the bag from him.

“From Joonhwi,” he said.

The warmth left her body, replaced with more annoyance. Jihoon scoffed, “Again.”

She dug through the contents of the gift bag and pulled out a bear shaped notebook, a meat bun, and strawberry milk.

“Thanks,” she mumbled.

The kid bowed again. Then ran out of the room.

Jihoon watched him leave. “Weirdo,” she mumbled to herself, a small smile on her lips. She opened up the meat bun package and took a bite.

In the stairwell at the end of her hall, Minghao shoved Junhui, “ _I’m never doing anything for you ever again.”_

Junhui laughed, “ _I’m introducing you to upperclassmen”_

 _“I don’t care. She has murder in her eyes,”_ Minghao whined.

“ _I know,_ ” Junhui laughed. He wrapped his arms around Minghao’s shoulders “ _Thank you.”_

Minghao slowly wrapped his arms around Junhui’s waist, “ _Everyone is so touchy over here.”_

 _“It’s a Korean thing. You’ll get used to it,”_ Junhui explained. He released Minghao. He smoothed down Minghao’s tie. “ _Come on, let’s bother Jeonghan.”_

_“Her eyes say murder too.”_

_“Only to Seungcheol, or Wonwoo when he’s rude.”_

Minghao has met Wonwoo a grand total of three times, and in those three times he’s managed to be an asshole at some point. But Minghao didn’t have the heart to tell Junhui that. He just laughed against Junhui’s shoulder and walked with him to the third floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise Mingyu is a girl too bc #tallestmember
> 
> happy birthday Minghao :DDDD


	4. You done Fucked up Wen Junhui

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our hero, Junhui, makes a mistake so grave that he may never recover.  
> Meanwhile, Jeonghan is everyone's mom friend. E V E R Y O N E. Including yours  
> Finally, a shocking reveal occurs.

7.

Jeonghan found Seungkwan in third floor girl’s bathroom. She was looking at her reflection in the mirror, she had a comb knotted in her hair.

Jeonghan sighed.

Seungkwan jumped. Her expression softened when she saw Jeonghan’s in the mirror’s reflection. “Oh, unnie, It’s only you.”

“What do you mean _only,_ ” Jeonghan teased. She leaned against the bathroom counter. “I’m not an only. I’m a great.”

“I’m sorry,” Seungkwan said, her tone sarcastic, “I didn’t mean to insult the great Jeonghan.”

Jeonghan raised an eyebrow at her. Seungkwan laughed shamelessly. Jeonghan sighed again. “Do you want my help or not?”

Seungkwan looked at the comb in her head. She spoke in a small voice, “Yes please.”

Jeonghan examined the comb in Seungkwan’s hair. It was stuck over a giant knot just above her right ear. Jeonghan turned on the faucet and cupped her hand under the water. She poured it on the knot.

“What happened?” Jeonghan asked.

“I saw a hair braiding tutorial on youtube, where the braid was pinned back like a hairband. I’m not very good,” Seungkwan admitted.

“Obviously,” Jeonghan chuckled. She tried to pull the comb through it. No luck. Jeonghan put a hand on her hips. She asked, “How do you feel about bangs?”

Seungkwan’s eyes widened.

Ten minutes later, she had straight across bangs that just reached the top of her eyebrows. They wer boxy, but at least the knot was gone. Seungkwan sighed at her reflection. She held her cheeks in her hands, “I’ll have to make an emergency appointment at the salon.”

“Hey,” Jeonghan pouted, “I did a great job.” She put the scissors back in Seungkwan’s backpack.

Seungkwan bit her lower lip. “Hey unnie?”

Jeonghan met her gaze in the mirror’s reflection.

“What do you think of Mingyu?”

Jeonghan hadn’t been expecting the question. She brushed it off. “She’s very tall, and smart. She’s a little clumsy, but she tries her best. Why do you ask?”

“Do you think you could like her?” Seungkwan asked.

Jeonghan paused. She ran her fingers through her shoulder length hair. “I’ve never thought about it.”

“Do you think you could ask her out one day?”

Jeonghan frowned. “Is this because of the bet? Are you that desperate to make money off me?”

“No not at all. I don’t even need the money,” Seungkwan shook her hands. “It’s just….”

Jeonghan stared. Seungkwan twisted her hands together. Jeonghan let her think, she didn’t want to interrupt her thoughts.

Seungkwan knotted her hands together, “Seokmin is convinced you’ll never date someone.”

Jeonghan flinched. That stung.

Seungkwan continued, “Lately you’ve been distant… I don’t want you to be sad or lonely.”

Jeonghan brushed Seungkwan’s bangs. Seungkwan looked up, to meet her gaze. Jeonghan gave a soft smile. “Don’t worry about me,” she said, “I’m not lonely when I have all of you.”

Seungkwan’s fat cheeks curved up into a smile, “Thanks, unnie. But I still think you need a girlfriend.”

Jeonghan laughed, “I think so too.”

They both laughed.

Jeonghan held the bathroom door open for Seungkwan. She complimented Seungkwan on her leggings, they were navy with gold stars. This was enough to set Seungkwan off on a long story about how she had to wait two months for them to be shipped over from America, because South Korea doesn’t make leggings that stretch over her thighs.

~~

 

Junhui had an essay for Korean Literature due next Friday. He had a rough draft hand written that needed to be heavily edited. Junhui considered asking Jeonghan to look over it, but there was a reason she was in classroom 3B. 

Junhui carried his notebook over to the next room over, classroom 3A.

In the front row, Jisoo and Seungcheol shared a desk. Seungcheol spoke and pointed at the workbook, Jisoo had her hands buried in her hair and looked as if she would rip it all out.

“Jisoo, you’re in the same class as Seungcheol?” Junhui asked as he approached their desk.

Jisoo looked up at him, defeat written in her eyes. “This is a mistake. I have over a thousand years of Korean history to catch up on.”

“Your grades are good in every other subject,” Seungcheol said in attempt to lift her spirit.

“That’s because numbers are the same in every language and I read too much manhwa,” Jisoo said. She groaned, her face dropped into her workbook, “The US doesn’t care about any history besides its own. I didn’t even know that Japan once occupied Korea until last week.”

Junhui remembered the feeling. Not with history, China and Korea share the stress of Japanese imperialist attempts, but he did remember crying every time they were assigned a new book in his literature class. He patted Jisoo’s back in sympathy, “There, there.”

“I take it Jisoo is a member of the foreigner club,” Seungcheol said.

“Oh yeah. It’s funny when she and Hansol get in arguments about American culture and start yelling at each other in English. Not even Ms. Jung can keep up with them.” Junhui laughed at the memory.

“Well Hansol keeps talking about the east coast, as if that’s how the entire country is like. But the west coast is very different,” Jisoo said. She didn’t look like she wanted to cry anymore. “You understand, right Joonhwi. Your China and Myungho’s China aren’t the same.”

“Yeah, but we don’t yell at each other because of it,” Junhui said.

Jisoo stuck out her tongue at him. Junhui did the same.

Seungcheol held out his hand. Junhui reached into his blazer pocket and handed Seungcheol his essay. Seungcheol unfolded the stapled pages, he glared at the them. “There’s a green stain.”

“I spilled tea on it,” Junhui explained.

Seungcheol smelled the essay. He crinkled his nose.

Junhui scratched the back of his neck. “I may have also spilled shrimp on it.”

Seungcheol shook his head but said nothing. He pulled out a red pen and began reading the essay.

Junhui watched Seungcheol’s arm stretch in his uniform blazer. “Isn’t your blazer a little tight?”

Seungcheol froze. “I- I accidentally grabbed my old uniform this morning.”

He looked at Junhui, but Junhui’s attention was already on the pen in his hand. He was trying to spin it. Jisoo snickered every time it fell. Seungcheol released his breath, and read over Junhui’s essay.

Jisoo looked back down at her workbook. She pouted. She closed her workbook, stood up, and started stretching. Her button up shirt was tucked into her skirt. Unlike all the other girls, she didn’t wear the uniform ribbon. Instead she wore a tie. Junhui admitted that the blazer and tie looked more her style but…

“It’s weird to see you in a skirt,” Junhui said.

“I know, I haven’t worn one in years,” Jisoo said. She smoothed the fabric out, then looked at in disdain.

“Didn’t you go to private school in LA?” Junhui asked.

“It was a catholic private school,” Jisoo explained, “But we could wear pants.” Jisoo sat down. She pulled out her phone from her blazer pocket and showed Junhui photos of her and her classmates. Only a few of the girls wore navy pleated skirts, but they fabric went down to the ankles.

Junhui noticed something about the pictures.

“Where are the guys?”

Jisoo smiled her cat like smile and said, “I went to an all girl’s school.”

Junhui’s eyebrows shot up.

Seungcheol sighed, “Your grammar is terrible Jun.”

“Help me,” Junhui clasped his hands together and begged, “Please.”

“Independent study is almost over. But I can help you after school,” Seungcheol offered.

Junhui nodded, then his face fell, “I can’t today. I’m meeting Soonyoung after school.”

Seungcheol’s eyebrows furrowed together, “Why?

“He’s helping me with Jihoon,” Junhui said.

Seungcheol scoffed, “Seriously that guy? He should fix his own relationship before meddling in other people’s.”

“Do you know who his girlfriend is?” Junhui asked.

“No,” Seungcheol admitted. He spoke carefully, as if he thought out every word, “She’s a very private person, so she wanted their relationship to be a secret. But he did come screaming at me when she said yes.” Seungcheol closed his eyes and smiled, “He had been in love with the girl for months.”

Seungcheol got quiet, his eyes glazed over as he ran through the memories.

Jisoo and Junhui made eye contact. Jisoo squinted. Her eyes flitted from Seungcheol to Junhui. Junhui shrugged. He leaned over and poked Seungcheol in the cheek.

Seungcheol broke out of his stupor. He coughed into his hands. “Anyway,” he continued, “I asked him what happened but he won’t tell me. He just sulks.”

“This doesn’t sound like the kind of guy you should take love advice from, Jun,” Jisoo said.

Junhui’s chest burned in anger. He glared at Jisoo. “What do you know? Have you ever been in a relationship?”

“Not one that has lasted more than two weeks,” Jisoo admitted.

“Everything Soonyoung has told me to do worked. She smiles at me now, sometimes, maybe, okay just once but still! That’s progress.”

Jisoo sighed. “Sure.”

Seungcheol looked back down at Junhui’s essay. He didn’t say anything about it again.

~~

 

Soonyoung lay across the concrete edge of the school garden. He threw a hacky sack up in the air and caught it over and over again.

Junhui sat next to him, with his notebook open and propped on his knee. He checked over his notes.

“And that’s her favorite flavor of boba,” Soonyoung said with a smile.

“Wow,” Junhui flipped over the pages. He had started writing in Korean, but gave up halfway through and wrote in mandarin. “You know a lot about her.”

“I know a lot about everybody” Sonyoung said with pride. He threw the hacky sack too hard. It hit Junhui on the head before falling to the ground.

Junhui glared.

Soonyoung smiled sheepishly.

Junhui picked up the hacky sack and placed it in Soonyoung’s hand. Soonyoung played it off, “For example, Wonwoo is allergic to seafood.”

Junhui’s eyes widened. “That sucks, we live on an island.”

Soonyoung frowned. He rolled the hacky sack in his hand. “You mean peninsula?”

Junhui glared.

Soonyoung gave a cheeky smile.

“I speak three languages,” Junhui snapped.

“Fair enough,” Soonyoung said. He chuckled.

Junhui found himself chuckling with Soonyoung. He decided that after he won Jihoon’s heart he would try and befriend Soonyoung. Junhui felt calm around him. Their banter was easy, nice, and Soonyoung was always open, he was available when Junhui needed him.

Soonyoung checked his phone. He stood up. “I have to go,” he said, “my neighbor in middle school was just released. We walk home together sometimes.”

“Thanks for your help,” Junhui said.

“No problem,” Soonyoung said. He swung his backpack over his shoulder and started to walk.

Junhui chewed on his lower lip. “Hey Soonyoung?”

Soonyoung turned back to him.

Junhui scratched the back of his neck as he spoke, “How is it going with your girl?

It was only for a moment, but Soonyoung’s smile fell and his eyes glazed over. “I guess I’m better at romancing than I am in a relationship.” He waved good bye.

Junhui felt his good mood fall. They had only known each for a short term, but Junhui wished only good things would happen to him. Soonyoung deserved a happy relationship. Not this…

~~

 

Jeonghan sat on the bleachers, she had cigarette in one hand and her phone in the other. She had a text message from her mom asking when she planned on coming home. Jeonghan chose to text Junhui instead.

“A sole Jeonghan out in the wild.”

Jeonghan looked up from her phone. There stood Seungcheol, his blazer hung from his arm, and his uniform shit was unbuttoned to reveal the black tee underneath, He spoke again, “That’s a first.”

Jeonghan took a drag. Seungcheol sat down two stands above hers, so that smoke wouldn’t cling to his clothes. Jeonghan explained, “Wonwoo had to pick up his sister from school. And Joonhwi is still in his club.”

Seungcheol nodded.

They both looked out the outdoor basketball court.

“Mingyu asked about you today. I guess the older girls were swapping stories about how you singlehandedly led the boys’ teams to nationals last year.”

Seungcheol shifted in his seat.

Jeonghan leaned back, and lifted her head so she could look Seungcheol dead in the eye. “Why didn’t you join the basketball team this year?”

Seungcheol shrugged. “I have more time to study now.”

Seungcheol looked at him, and his downcast eyes and his folded blazer. “You’re not studying right now,” she said.

“Don’t you have a calligraphy class you should be at?” Seungcheol asked in a tone that was meant to tease, but was too sharp and trembled at the end.

Jeonghan searched Seungcheol’s face. Then she looked up at the sky. “It’s sewing and no. I asked for a refund on the first day.”

“Your mom is going to kill you,” Seungcheol teased.

“She didn’t ask me when she signed me up. I’m not going to tell her when I quit.”

Jeonghan took another drag of her cigarette.

Seungcheol traced the lines of the basketball court with his eyes. The lines faded at the three-point line. It needed to be repainted.

“My mom asks about you. She said she misses you,” Jeonghan said.

Seungcheol smiled, “Does she still want me to date you?”

“She says you’d be the perfect son in law,” Jeonghan took another drag.

“You’re not my type,” Seungcheol said.

“You’re not mine either,” Jeonghan said. She dropped her cigarette and stomped it out.

“Joonhwi’s club let out,” Jeonghan said, “Bye Seungcheol.”

He nodded good bye.

He was left alone on the basketball stands. He looked at his folded blazer, then the faded lines on the court, and then he sighed.

~~

 

8.

Junhui and Jeonghan sat in their desks during free period. Jeonghan “accidentally” forgot to wash her uniform skirt and wore her PE sweats instead. She scrolled through twitter. Hansol and Junhui were bent over Junhui’s English homework.

“Where’s Seungkwan?” Jeonghan asked.

“She was written up for wearing blue eye shadow,” Hansol said without looking up without looking up from Junhui’s workbook.

Jeonghan frowned. She closed twitter, opened snapchat, and looked at Seungkwan’s story. Her eyebrows raised. “I would have written her up too. She looks like a clown.”

Junhui peeked over Jeonghan’s shoulder. He shuddered. “Is that why you don’t wear make-up?”

Jeonghan frowned at Junhui. “You think my face is naturally this smooth?” Jeonghan accused.

Junhui looked over Jeonghan’s face. He looked at Hansol. Hansol had a pained expression on his face. Junhui looked back at Jeonghan. He answered in a small voice, “Yes.”

This was the wrong answer. Junhui knew this because Hansol facepalmed and Jeonghan’s nose scrunched up as if Junhui had insulted three generations of her family.

Jeonghan pointed at her face, “This is the product of concealer, bb cream, and bronzer so I don’t look like a washed-out ghost. And then some eye shadow. Did you really think I woke up like this?”

Sweat dripped Junhui’s neck. He had never regretted a conversation more in his entire life.

Hansol pushed on Junhui’s shoulder. Junhui turned to him. Hansol pointed at the classroom windows that faced the hallways. Junhui’s eyes widened.

Jihoon’s pink hair bobbed up and down. As if she was stomping with a vengeance. She stormed through the door and right up to Jeonghan and Junhui’s desk.

She slammed the boba cup on Junhui’s desk. Her face was red. Her braid was crooked, as if she had run her hands through her hair and tugged. Her breath came in and out in ragged breaths. Her gaze was intense on Junhui.

The whole classroom turned towards them in the back of the room. Jeonghan stared at the boba cup, then Jihoon, then back to the boba cup. Hansol shuddered. Junhui swallowed.

She finally spoke, “You got my order correct. Down to the sugar percentage.”

Jeonghan blinked up at her. “…yes.”

“You knew my favorite food,” she bit out, “And my favorite milk flavor.”

Jihoon grabbed Junhui’s workbook off the desk, Hansol leaned out of her way, and hit him with it. Junhui threw his arms up to cover his head.

“How” -hit- “do you” -hit- “know everything” -hit,hit- “about me?”

“I asked for help!” Junhui shouted. He tried to make himself as small as possible to hide under his desk.

Jihoon hit his back when his head was no longer visible. “From who?”

“Kwon Soonyoung!” Junhui shouted.

Jihoon stilled. Junhui peeked out from under his desk. Jihoon’s expression had changed from angry to disbelief. Her voice was small, “Soonyoung helped you?”

“Yeah,” Junhui crawled out. He sat on the floor and looked up at her and spoke again, “He encouraged me to pursue you.”

Jihoon’s eyes watered. She blinked back the moisture. She dropped the workbook and rubbed at her eyes.

Jeonghan reached out to touch her arm. Jihoon took a deep breath. She glared.

Junhui stiffened. He wanted to crawl back under the desk, but before he had the chance, Jihoon turned around and stormed down the hallway. Junhui and Jeonghan made eye contact. Jeonghan chased after Jihoon. Junhui stood up and trailed after the two girls.

Jihoon stormed down the stairs and walked through the doors of classroom 2B. Jeonghan was two steps behind her. In his haste Junhui tripped on the stairwell.

Jeonghan stopped at the doorway.

Jihoon’s eyes scanned the room. Soonyoung sat in one of the back desks, he was deep in conversation with Wonwoo. He laughed at what the latter said.

Jihoon took a deep breath and shouted, “Hoshi!”

Everyone turned to Jihoon, everyone except Soonyoung.

Junhui finally reached the classroom. Jeonghan blocked off the doorway. Junhui pouted at her. She didn’t react. He looked over her shoulder.

Jihoon stomped up to Soonyoung. Wonwoo was frozen in his seat. Soonyoung… he didn’t look up, he didn’t face Jihoon, it was as if he didn’t hear her at all.

Jihoon was red in the face. She shouted, “Why would my boyfriend help someone ask me out?”

The whole room gasped. Wonwoo’s jaw dropped. Junhui leaned against Jeonghan’s body, she locked her arms to securely keep him out.

Soonyoung blinked. And then, finally, he looked up at her. For once, he wasn’t smiling, not even a little.

She glared at him.

He glared back.

Soonyoung spoke first, his voice was laced with ice, “Am I?”

Jihoon’s stance wavered, “What?

“Am I really your boyfriend?” He asked slowly.

“You spent all of last year pursuing me!” Jihoon shouted, “I said yes.”

“That’s not the same as meaning it,” Soonyoung said, his voice low, but it grew louder with each word, “I know you wanted us to be a secret but isn’t this too much? I can’t hold your hand. I can’t kiss you. All we ever did was watch movies at your apartment and now we don’t even do that.”

Jihoon’s face fell, “Soonyoung…”

“The last text you sent me was three days ago,” Soonyoung said. He stood up and looked down at her. “Do you even care about me?”

Jihoon looked as if she had been slapped in the face.

Soonyoung pulled his phone from his pocket, he broke off the blue raspberry cell phone charm and placed it in Jihoon’s hand. “Let’s break up. That shouldn’t be hard since you never wanted the relationship in the first place.”

Jihoon couldn’t make speak. Her bottom lip trembled.

Soonyoung brushed past Jihoon. Junhui crouched down behind Jeonghan, so that he was hidden from Soonyoung. Jeonghan stepped out of the doorframe, she left enough space for Soonyoung to walk out. Junhui got a glimpse of Soonyoung’s face, his eyes were red.

Junhui looked around Jeonghan’s legs to see Jihoon.

Jihoon looked at the blue raspberry cell phone charm. She closed her hand around it. Her shoulders shook. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Junhui leaned against Jeonghan’s leg.

Correction. Junhui had never regretted a conversation more than his first one with Soonyoung.

~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In all honesty, who expected that? I did. But, as the author, I know everything.
> 
> My favorite part to write was that sister moment between Seungkwan and Jeonghan. I love describing the girls. Jeonghan is top heavy, Jisoo has hips, Seungkwan's hella curvy, and Mingyu has legs for days. They're so much fun!
> 
> The next update is a flashback chapter. Please anticipate it.


	5. The (Successful) Wooing of Lee Jihoon; version S for Soonyoung

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeonghan and Mingyu check in on the very depressed Lee Jihoon. For their bravery, and for proving themselves as the best friends a girl could ask for, Jihoon shares the tale of her and Soonyoung's courtship.

9.

There were three knocks on the door.

Jihoon’s mom answered it. She saw Mingyu, who had ditched basketball practice, and Jeonghan, who had ditched her mom’s phone calls, and sighed in relief.

“She hasn’t left her room in two days,” Jihoon’s mom said, her face pulled to a deep frown.

“We were worried about her when she didn’t go to school,” Mingyu said.

“You’re a good friend,” Jihoon’s mom said. She was as small her daughter, and had to lean up to smile at Mingyu. She didn’t look at Jeonghan. She asked, “Can you get her to eat something?”

“We’ll do our best,” Mingu said. She gave her a reassuring smile, and held up the homemade lunchbox in her hand.

“Thank you,” Jihoon’s mom said as she gave Mingyu a small hug. Jeonghan huffed. Any other day she would have said something, but now wasn’t the time or place.

The girls stood in front of the door. They made eye contact. They played rock, paper, scissors. Jeonghan lost. She slowly pushed open the door. She called out, “Jihoon?”

Jihoon’s school uniform lay, wrinkled, on the floor. There was a lump under the comforter on the bed. The curtains were closed, the room was dark.

“Jihoon, we brought food,” Jeonghan held out her bag. Its only contents were junk food, since Jeonghan’s cooking was a health hazard, Mingyu was the only one allowed near a stove.

The lump on the bed mumbled, “I’m not hungry.”

Mingyu and Jeonghan looked at each other.

Jeonghan sat at the head of the bed, Mingyu sat at the end.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Jeonghan asked.

“No,” Jihoon mumbled.

Jeonghan patted the lump on what she assumed was Jihoon’s head.

She was right. Jihoon stuck her head out from under the blanket. Her eyes were puffy, her hair unkempt.

Jeonghan held out her arms. Jihoon leaned against Jeonghan’s chest and let herself be hugged

~~

 

10.

Soonyoung and Jihoon were not a classic high school love story.

Jihoon was never soft. She was all sharp teeth, quick wit, and no shame. She would laugh when confessed to, and insult the poor boy as he walked away. A harsh reputation from her middle school followed her to high school. And by August of her freshmen year, after too many rejections, all the boys in her grade were too scared to talk to her.

All except one.

Kwon Soonyoung.

“You don’t look threatening.”

Those were his first words to her.

Jihoon looked up.

He leaned on the bench she sat on. He was a boy going through puberty. His school blazer fit loosely on his frame. He was all long limbs and thin arms, like his bones grew too fast and his muscles were desperately trying to catch up. His eyes were too small, too slanted, too close together.

Jihoon glared at him.

“There it is,” he said, “Now I see why they’re scared of you.”

And then he smiled, his eyes grew impossibly smaller and his mouth stretched out into a gummy smile. He asked, “How are you?”

Jihoon felt something in her chest.

She ignored the feeling. She slammed her book closed and stood up. “I was fine until you showed up.”

The smile fell off Soonyoung’s face. “What did I do?”

“Interrupt me,” Jihoon said with a huff, “I was enjoying my book.”

And then she stormed off, back inside the school.

She didn’t turn around. If she had, she would have seen the return of his smile, and the first signs of love forming on his face.

Jihoon saw him again a week later one afternoon in the school library. Her blue blazer folded and hung on the back of her seat. Her long hair, then black, tied in a messy bun atop her head. Her body curved over a biology textbook with a notebook open next to it. She chewed on her pen as she read.

“Your notes are very thorough.”

Jihoon briefly glanced up. It was him, Kwon Soonyoung, his familiar eyes curved into a smile. She looked back down at her book. “Of course they are,” she said with pride.

He pulled out a chair at her table and sat down. His backpack fell heavy on the floor. “That test kicked my ass,” Soonyoung complained.

“That’s my job,” Jihoon said.

“You don’t even know me,” he whined.

“You’re Kwon Soonyoung,” Jihoon said without looking up from her textbook, “The loud boy from class 1C.”

From the corner of her eyes she saw his wide smile.

“So the ice queen does pay attention.”

“That’s a misconception,” her voice grew smaller as she spoke. “I’m not actually an ice queen…”

She didn’t need to defend herself in front of him. She shook off her insecurity, and started to copy a diagram.

Soonyoung put his elbows on the table and held his face in his hands. Jihoon tried to ignore him. His stare didn’t waver. He spoke, “I heard you made the principal cry.”

Jihoon blushed, “It’s not what it sounds like. I was in the office when she received the phone call that her mother passed away. I just happened to be there.”

Soonyoung’s eyes widened in surprise.

Jihoon twisted her pen in her hands.

Soonyoung tapped the table. He was dead serious when he asked, “Did you break that one guy’s wrist?”

“He pinched my butt,” Jihoon said in a tone of nonchalance, “He deserved it.”

Soonyoung laughed. His whole body shook when he laughed.

Jihoon found herself smiling.

~~

 

Jihoon was startled awake by a tapping on her desk. She straightened up. She blinked. She had been writing notes, some of the ink rubbed on to her forearm.

Soonyoung stood at her desk, his knuckles still on the surface. He asked, “Do you always sleep through lunch?”

“No,” Jihoon rubbed the sleep from her eyes, “it was just today.”

Soonyoung tsked. He sat in the desk in front of hers and turned his body to face her. He opened up the plastic bag he had been carrying. “Do you want strawberry or banana milk?”

Jihoon blinked again. She spoke slowly, “Strawberry milk?”

Soonyoung pulled out the bottle of strawberry milk and handed it to her, along with a packaged pork bun. When she didn’t take them, he placed the food on her desk.

She squinted at the food. “Why?” she asked.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat lunch,” he said. He opened up the packaging of his own sandwich.

“I don’t have time,” she huffed.

Soonyoung laughed, “No wonder you’re so skinny.” He opened up the bottle of banana milk and started to drink.

Jihoon picked up the bottle of strawberry milk on her desk. “Thanks,” she mumbled.

“No problem,” he said. He bit into his sandwich, chewed, swallowed, and then asked, “Did you watch k superstar last night?”

“Of course, the girl and her brother were very talented.”

“I know. I hope they win.”

“Same,” Jihoon said, finally smiling.

Soonyoung blushed. But then he smiled back.

~~

 

Jihoon clipped half of her hair back. She ran her fingers through the strands. They were a little fried at the end, an unfortunate part of the bleaching process, but her hair was white- blonde. She smiled, content.

Jeonghan, back when her hair was long enough to braid and she wore lip gloss for her mom, would not stop touching her hair.

“I think this is the first time you’ve spent time in my classroom,” Jihoon said. Her textbooks sat closed on the corner of her desk. There was no way she would concentrate when all of Jeonghan’s attention was on her.

“Joonhwi is busy and your hair is amazing,” Jeonghan braided and unbraided Jihoon’s hair. “Hair dye is against the school rules. How do you get away with it?”

Jihoon shrugged. “Professor Kang stared at me this morning. I think she considered it, but then decided against it.”

“You can get away with anything,”

“Be more intimidating.”

“Nope, my mom wpuld hear about it,” Jeonghan scoffed.

Jihoon chuckled. She kept glancing at the class door, but Soonyoung never walked in. She wasn’t disappointed. Not really. Well, maybe a little.

Everyone continued to compliment her hair throughout the day. Jihoon took the time to say thank you, her classmates were surprised when she responded. A member of the student council did stare at her for a moment too long, but in the end they broke eye contact and scurried away. She survived the day without getting written up.

The final bell rang. Still no Soonyoung.

Jihoon went to the convenience store after school. She hadn’t eaten lunch that day. She had been caught up in a draft of an essay for English class. They didn’t have her favorite flavor for ramyun. She held two different containers in her hand and tried to decide between the two.

A chill went down her spine. She looked at the end of the store. She froze.

There he was. There was Soonyoung. There were thick bags under his eyes, but his face still lit up. Jihoon was reminded of a star.

Her chest warmed.

“Jihoon, you look great,” Soonyoung said.

“Where were you?” Jihoon asked.

“Seungcheol helped me study for my English test,” Soonyoung said, “Why? Did you miss me?”

Jihoon spoke without thinking, “Yes.”

Soonyoung’s eyes widened.

Jihoon brushed her hair behind her ear. She felt her face heat up.

Soonyoung didn’t notice. He was staring at the floor in an attempt to hide his own blush.

“Wow your hair looks great,” Soonyoung said, “You look like Elsa!”

Jihoon felt her mouth stretch into a smile. She stared harder at the floor. “Thank you.”

“I want to bleach my hair too,” Soonyoung lamented, “But I’d probably fry it.”

“I can do it.”

Soonyoung blinked at her.

Jihoon felt the regret in her bones, but she pushed past it and spoke again, “I can bleach your hair, so that it stays healthy.”

Soonyoung’s expression shifted. He chewed on his lower lip.

Jihoon felt self-conscious. She looked at the ramyun packs in her hand. “You don’t have to, it was just an offer.”

“Sure,” Soonyoung interrupted her babbling, “We can do it this weekend if you have time?”

Jihoon blinked up at him. His eyes desperate for something. Jihoon found her voice, “Yes. I can bring my hair dye stuff to your apartment.”

“That’s great.”

“Do you want to eat together?” she spoke again, no thoughts just words. Her brain and her mouth needed to start communicating. Her voice grew smaller with each word, “I’ll pay, since you always bring me lunch.”

Soonyoung smiled. It wasn’t as large as the Soonyoung smiles Jihoon was used to, but it felt just as sincere. “I’d love to.”

She felt all of her confidence rush back. As if every pore of her body was bursting with energy. All because of his smile.

~~

Soonyoung’s bathroom was cramped. Jihoon had Soonyoung sit on the toilet seat with an old stained towel wrapped around his shoulders. Jihoon wore plastic gloves when she mixed the hair bleach. Soonyoung stared intently. Jihoon felt small underneath his gaze. “What’s wrong?” she bit out. “Does the smell bother you?”

“It’s not that,” Soonyoung said, “I’ve never seen you not wear a uniform.”

Jihoon had her hair tied up in a messy bun. She wore a loose white t shirt and high-waisted shorts. His eyes didn’t stray from her legs. She felt herself blush under his gaze. 

“I haven’t seen you either.”

“That’s a lie,” Soonyoung defended, “I was part of the opening dance performance. I wore a basketball jersey and gym shorts.”

“Then you should have played basketball,” Jihoon said. She had the bleach ready. “Lean back.”

Soonyoung did. He closed his eyes. “We danced a hiphop routine, it was a 1tyme montage.”

“I remember,” she said. She brushed the bleach through his locks in long, broad strokes. She continued, “You did a good job.”

“Thanks,” he said, pride in his voice. Then in a different, more panicked, voice, he asked, “Is it supposed to burn?”

Jihoon chuckled, “Yeah.”

He showed her different videos of his dances while they waited the thirty minutes for the bleach to set. Jihoon watched each video in awe. The 1tyme had only been a fraction of what Soonyoung could do. When he wasn’t bound by people who were less talented, he could accomplish amazing feats. His moves popped, he was dynamic and then fluid and then powerful. In all honesty Jihoon was overwhelmed.

Jihoon rinsed the bleach from his hair. She ran her fingers through his hair and watched the pouring water drain out the bleach. Soonyoung closed his eyes as Jihoon ran her fingers through his hair.               

Jihoon turned on her hair dryer and blew out the strands. Soonyoung’s eyelashes fanned over his face. She found herself blushing under his gaze.  Jihoon had never been this close to him before, and now that she was she couldn’t stop staring. She could see very bump from acne, every small freckle, the cupid’s bow of his lip.

He leaned into her touch as she brushed his bangs out of the way. Jihoon stilled. She stared at his face, memorized the slope of his jaw, the curve of his nose, the slant of his eyes.

And then he opened his eyes, and he smiled. Not a large Soonyoung signature smile, but a soft one, one that she had never seen before.

“Did you finish?” he asked.

“Y-yeah,” Jihoon stepped back, “I did. You should –yeah.” She gestured at his bathroom mirror.

He sat up. He ran his fingers through his hair, soft to the touch. Blonde almost white. It looked good on him, better than Jihoon had expected. Jihoon internally scolded herself for getting distracted.

“Wow, this is awesome,” Soonyoung said. He turned to her, “I look great.”

He had his smile, the fully gummy one that hid his eyes.

Jihoon returned the smile, “You look like Jack Frost”

“I do huh,” he said, and then the smile softened, to that fond one again.

Jihoon couldn’t look away if she tried.

She didn’t try.

Not at all.

~~

 

“Jihoon-ah.”

Soonyoung waved from the end of the hall.

“Your stalker is here,” Jeonghan said.

“Yeah, he is,” Jihoon scoffed. But she didn’t mean it, not really.

He jogged up to them. He eyed Jeonghan, then spoke carefully, “Hey, I have a few questions about the physics homework.”

“Sounds boring,” Jeonghan fake barfed. Jihoon snickered. “I’ve got to go meet Joonhwi.” Jeonghan waved good bye. Soonyoung brightened up as he returned the wave.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Soonyoung looked down at Jihoon and smiled, that soft Soonyoung smile that made Jihoon’s heart flutter.

Jihoon stood up straighter. “So what are your questions?”

“Well it’s just one question and it’s not about physics,” He said. He half laughed- it fizzled out. And then the smile was gone.

Jihoon pulled at her blazer sleeves.

Soonyoung dug through his backpack, “So you have a 50-50 chance of getting a prize.”

“A prize?” Jihoon repeated.

“Yes a prize. If you say the correct answer you win,” Soonyoung pulled out something from his backpack and held it- no, them - up. A set of cell phone charms, one was shaped like a strawberry, the other was shaped like a blue raspberry.

Jihoon’s face heated up in anticipation.

Soonyoung’s cheeks were as red as the strawberry charm when he asked, “Jihoon, will you be my girlfriend?”

Her chest burned, a smile broke across her face, “Yes. Of course, yes.”

Soonyoung’s face washed with relief, and then his smile grew to the widest it’s ever been. “Thank god.”

Jihoon laughed.

“I mean I knew you would say yes. Well, I really, really wanted you to say yes, I was hoping you’d say yes but there’s still the chance you’d say no-“

Jihoon hugged Soonyoung, successfully shutting him up. He wrapped his arms around her, lifted her up, and spun them both around. She laughed. He laughed.

And then he set her down gently.

“You get first dibs,” Soonyoung held out the cell phone charms

Jihoon chose the strawberry one, of course. And then invited him to her apartment for pizza and movies. He smiled, of course.

~~

 

9.2.

Jihoon held the broken blue raspberry charm in her hand.

Mingyu lay across the bed next to her. Jeonghan had been slowly brushing the knots out of Jihoon’s hair.

“And now he’s gone,” Jihoon said in a small voice.

She started to cry again.

Mingyu hugged her waist. Jeonghan stopped brushing Jihoon’s hair to wrap her arms around the smaller girl’s shoulders.

Jihoon curled into her friends and cried.

~~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11.

Minghao’s phone went off at 6 in the morning. He glared at the offending object, where it vibrated on top of an unpacked carboard box labeled _performance costumes_. He had every intention of ignoring it until, until he read the caller ID.

“ _What_?” he mumbled into the receiver.

“ _Hey, sorry to wake you,”_ Junhui said, sounding alert and genuinely apologetic.

Minghao propped himself onto one elbow and sighed, “ _It’s fine. What’s up?”_

There was movement on the other line. Minghao could hear the mumbled announcements of the train station. Junhui asked, “ _Can you help me today_?”

~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I needed to finish this chapter before I could write the next one.
> 
> Jihoon's mom doesn't like Joenghan because she "dresses like a man," which is absurd because Jeonghan doesn't dress like anyone except herself. To be fair, when compared to Mingyu, Jeonghan will lose. Everyone will lose, because every parent wishes Mingyu was their child.
> 
> Also, when editing this I realized Jeonghan was surprisingly oblivious when it came to Soonyoung's crush. Maybe, like a true mother, she can only read the emotions of her own children. That would explain why she never saw Jihoon's growing affections, since she considers the younger girl as an equal, not an infant.


	6. If it Weren't for Those Meddling Kids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> End of Act I
> 
> After a lot of coaxing, and some bribery, Jeonghan and Mingyu are able to convince Jihoon to leave the dark cave that is her room and see the great outdoors, where a surprise awaits her.

12.

Jihoon’s lifeless body draped across Mingyu’s lap.

Mingyu sat her upright on the subway seat. Jihoon leaned against Mingyu’s shoulder. Mingyu sighed.

“Give it up already,” Jeonghan said. She sat on the other side of Mingyu. One hand in the pocket of her jeans, the other scrolled through her phone. “It was a miracle we got her dressed and out of the house.”

Mingyu had bribed her with a homemade meal to get into the shower. Jeonghan had insisted on going to the mall. Jihoon, loudly, voiced her desire to stay in bed so long that they became one neverending half mattress half human nightmare. Jeonghan offered to buy Jihoon whatever she wanted. After a pause, the smaller girl grumbled as she got out of bed.

To say Jihoon was dressed was a loose term. Mingyu slid an old band t shirt over Jihoon’s head and struggled to pull a loose pair of jeans on her small frame. Jihoon’s head flopped as Mingyu attempted to brush it. Mingyu gave up and tied the long pink strands in a loose bun atop Jihoon’s head. Jeonghan couldn’t recall a time she had seen Jihoon that sloppily dressed. But she was outside of her room, and on the subway. That in itself was an accomplishment.

A man stepped onto their train car. He looked at the empty seat next to Jeonghan. Jeonghan glared, she spread out her legs so that she occupied the entire area. The man scoffed as he walked down the car, Jeonghan’s glare followed his retreating back.

Jihoon sighed. “Why are we out here?”

“Your mom begged us to get you out of house. She wanted to clean whatever mushrooms had begun growing in your dark room,” Mingyu answered.

“My room is not that bad,” Jihoon grumbled.

“When you’re normal Jihoon your room is impeccable,” Jeonghan said, “But right you’re not normal.”

Jihoon’s hands tightened into fists. She would fight, but she didn’t have the energy.

Mingyu dragged Jihoon out of the train at the stop in front of the mall. Mingyu had one hand on Jihoon’s small pale wrist as she dragged her through the crowds of shoppers in the building. Jeonghan walked two steps behind them, and would poke Jihoon in the back if she was too slow.

“Yah, show some life,” Jeonghan said.

Jihoon groaned.

“Pick a store so I can buy you something,” Jeonghan said.

Jihoon lifted her head. She stopped. Mingyu stopped and turned to her. Jihoon chewed on her lower lip. Jeonghan leaned in. Jihoon spoke, “I do need new sticky notes… and highlighters.”

Jeonghan wrapped an arm around Jihoon’s shoulders, “That’s the spirit. Jihoon, a woman of simple pleasures, a woman after my own heart.”

“Are you sure you want school supplies. Joenghan has her mom’s credit card, you could buy anything,” Mingyu insisted.

Jeonghan glared. “Don’t give her any ideas. My parents aren’t that rich.” She tried to kick Mingyu in the thigh.

Mingyu hopped out of the way. Mingyu swung Jihoon’s arm as she spoke, “You could get a speaker, or a new phone, or a laptop.”

“Mingyu stop that,” Jeonghan whined. She tried to kick Mingyu again. Mingyu dodged, again.

Jihoon gave a small laugh.

Jeonghan and Mingu froze.

Jihoon noticed. Her smile fell. She glared. “What?”

“You smiled! Your first smile!” Mingyu shouted. She jumped up and down, Jihoon’s wrist was still in her hand so she shook the smaller girl’s body with each movement. And Jeonghan was still wrapped around Jihoon’s shoulders, so she shook as well with every one of Mingyu’s jumps.

“Stop that,” Jihoon whined.

“Mark your calendars, today is the day the great and terrible Ice Princess smiled,” Jeonghan announced.

Mingyu pulled Jihoon out of Jeonghan’s grasp and spun her around. “This is a cause for celebration.”

Mingyu accidentally hit one of the shoppers, an older woman with three bags of groceries.

She yelled at the girls for causing a ruckus in a communal area. The girls all bowed their heads in apology. They helped the woman pick up her bags. Then the apologized again. She waved good bye to them.

The girls released a breath when she was out of sight. Then they made eye contact, and laughed again.

Jeonghan wrapped her arm around Jihoon’s shoulders, “Let’s find the stationary store.”

Jihoon nodded.

Mingyu walked with them.

For the first time in a while, Jihoon felt lighter.

But in the back of her head, there was an image of a pale face, with slanted eyes curved into a smile.

~~

Mingyu weighed a different frying pan in each hand. In her left was an aqua Teflon pan with a wooden handle, in her right was a black iron skillet. She held up the left, then the right. She chewed on her lower lip. She looked at the wall of a different pans, nodded to herself, then turned around. She asked, “Which do you prefer?”

Jihoon slouched on the table with her face in her hands. Jeonghan was next to her, one hand on the table, the other scrolling through her phone. They looked at Mingyu with a bored expression. Jeonghan shrugged. Jihoon said, “The blue one.”

“Why?” Mingyu asked.

“Because it’s prettier,” Jihoon said.

“Just pick one already,” Jeonghan whined, “You’ve been standing there for 15 minutes.”

“I want a good one,” Mingyu said, “My little brother ruined my favorite pan when he melted action figure on it.”

“Why did he do that?” Jihoon asked.

“He wanted to see if superman really was invincible,” Mingyu said.

“Kids are stupid,” Jihoon scoffed.

Jeonghan whined, “Aren’t all pans the same?”

Jihoon turned to her with an expression of pure panic. Jeonghan felt the atmosphere change. She looked up from her phone. She cringed.

Mingyu gave Jeonghan the darkest expression the other girls had ever seen.

They had to stay there for another fifteen minutes while Mingyu explained to the other two that no, not all pans are the same.

~~

“I’m hungry,” Jeonghan whined.

“You said that five minutes ago, and five minutes before that,” Jihoon said. She held one pink bag full of stationary in one hand and an H& M bag in the other.

“I’m still hungry,” Jeonghan whined. She only bought one item, a bomber jacket with dragon embroidery on the back that she wore. “Let’s go to the food court.”

“It’s just around the corner,” Mingyu said. Her only bag had the aqua pan.

Jihoon had a flash of a memory in her head. She and Soonyoung meeting up at the food court and sharing one order of black bean noodles. She swallowed.

Jeonghan peered at her face. “Did I need to buy you more sticky notes?”

“What?” Jihoon blinked at her.

“Do I need to buy you the penguin shaped ones as well as the giraffe ones,” Jeonghan groaned as she walked. “How much stationary will it take to make you forget him?”

Jihoon felt fire run through her veins. She gave Jeonghan an indignant glare. “Show more tact. He was my first boyfriend.”

“You never even told us about your relationship. How are we supposed to care if we never knew?” Jeonghan asked. “Did you care about it if you hid it?”

“Of course I hid it. Do you think that anyone would believe that Soonyoung, who emits sunshine when he smiles, would be genuinely interested in me, the school’s ice princess? I didn’t want to hear all the bullshit gossip that would spread. I didn’t want my relationship to be spoiled by rumor saying that I blackmailed him into dating me.” Jihoon shook as she spoke, “I liked him a lot.”

Jeonghan looked over Jihoon’s head she smiled. “Don’t convince me.” Jeonghan pointed past Jihoon, “Convince him.”

Jihoon frowned.

Mingyu spun Jihoon around. Jihoon’s eyes widened.

Across the food court stood Soonyoung. And Joonhwi, and Myungho, and Seungcheol, but most important there stood Soonyoung.

His hair was black now. One shoe had its laces untied. His shirt had a pizza stain. But there stood Soonyoung, as handsome as Jihoon remembered.

Seungcheol pushed Soonyoung forward. He stumbled.

Soonyoung turned a hard glare on Joonhwi. “You set me up.”

Joonhwi took a step away from Soonyoung. “Yes I did. But please hear me out before you kill me.”

Soonyoung glared at Joonhwi. Jihoon stared with wide eyes.

Joonhwi took a deep breath, then began to speak. “I’m sorry I interrupted your relationship, it was never my intention to break up a couple.” Joonhwi gestured at both Soonyoung and Jihoon. “But it shouldn’t have fallen apart that easy. I think you need to talk now, before you hurt each other even more.”

Soonyoung stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I said all that I had to say the other day.”

Jihoon shuddered.

Soonyoung looked across the way at her.

She pulled on the sleeves of her cardigan, she chewed on her lower lip.

Silence, from the both of them.

The food court was alive and loud with patrons, but these were silent.

Soonyoung sighed. He side stepped to turn around.

Jihoon could feel him physically leave and the flood of emotions attacked her all over again. Without thinking, she shouted, “I loved you!”

Soonyoung paused. His eyes widened.

Jihoon was red in the face and her heart beat a mile a minute but she powered on. “I’ve loved you for a long time. I liked when you first approached me. That’s why I hated Junhui. Because he did everything you did but he wasn’t you.”

She was crying now She couldn’t see because she was crying. But then a hand wiped the tears from cheek.

She looked up. Soonyoung. Beautiful fox eyed Soonyoung. Tears streamed down his cheeks too. “We should talk.”

She could only nod.

She buried her face in his chest, he wrapped his arms around her small frame.

“Please go out with me, Hoshi,” Jihoon asked. Hoshi, Soonyoung, her star.

“Sure,” He kissed the top of her head.

Joonhwi released the breath he had been holding. Seungcheol applauded. Jeonghan slapped Soonyoung on the back of the head.

 Jeonghan scolded him, “If you’re too upset talk to her. Don’t help some Chinese idiot steal your girl.”

“Who are you calling an idiot?” Soonyoung whined.

Without pause, Jeonghan said, “You, idiot!”

Soonyoung and Jihoon laughed. Jeonghan pointed at Soonyoung. Soonyoung cowered under her gaze, “I promise to talk.”

“Good. Because I hate seeing my friend, who’s the strongest girl I know, break down into a crying mess. It made me want to punch the source of her tears.”

“Seungcheol!,” Soonyoung called out, “Mingyu! Someone save me!”

Mingyu pushed Soonyoung and Jihoon away from the group, “Go talk it out, please.”

The couple waved. The group waved back. And when the couple was out of earshot, the group collectively sighed.

“What took you so long?” Joonhwi asked, “Minghao and I were running out of reasons to keep him in the mall.”

“Sorry but this one,” Jeonghan pointed at Mingyu, “needed an hour to choose a frying pan.”

“Aren’t they all the same?” Seungcheol asked.

Minghao eyes widened in panic, as did Jeonghan’s. Mingyu’s mouth twitched. Before she could start on her rant, Joonhwi intervened, “Do you think they’ll be okay?”

Jeonghan looked at the couple, all the way on the other side of the food court. Their heads were close together, they were talking, their hands were interlocked.

Jeonghan smiled, “They’ll be fine.”

Joonhwi sighed in relief. Jeonghan patted his arm, “You did a good thing.”

Joonhwi smiled at her, “Thanks for helping me.”

“I couldn’t have done it without Mingu,” Jeonghan said. “She did most of the work.”

Joonhwi gave her a smile, “Thank you so much.”

Mingyu smiled, a wide smile that showed a sharp canine, “Anything for Jihoon unnie.”

The group wandered over to the food stands. They left the couple alone, so that they could have that long conversation they always needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is supposed to be about Junhui but the girls are so much easier to write. This was the hardest part to write since I don't handle conflict well. The next part is already written (and has been for the past two weeks) so the update should be soon.
> 
> Jeonghan was texting Junhui all day so they could coordinate schedules, I'm not sure if that was obvious enough.  
> And Seungcheol proves to us yet again how clueless he is when it comes to women.


	7. Intermission: The First Days of Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day after the mall. Soonyoung and Jihoon are having a lazy day, Junhui shows Minghao downtownSeoul, and Jeonghan visits someone who desperately needs to talk.

13.

There was a box on Jihoon’s doorstep addressed to both her and Soonyoung.

She examined it. She didn’t find a return address. Someone must have personally dropped it off. It was 7 in the morning, not even Jihoon had a reason for being awake that early on a Sunday.

She shrugged, lifted the box, and brought it to her room.

Soonyoung was still asleep, his limbs spread all over the bed. He slept in his jeans. He had stayed too late last night and missed the last train. Jihoon’s mom insisted he spend the night, though she did give Jihoon a warning glare. Jihoon didn’t mind, not at all.

She smiled fondly. She wore his hoodie. The sleeves were too long and covered her hands, but the hoodie smelled like him. 

She stroked his hair, “Babe, wake up.”

“I don’t want to,” Soonyoung he mumbled. He hugged the pillow to him.

“But someone left a package for us,” Jihoon shook the box in her hands.

He blinked. He propped himself up on his elbows. He mumbled, “Who would leave us a package?”

Jihoon shrugged.

Jihoon sat down on the bed next to Soonyoung. He leaned up, stroked Jihoon’s hair, and kissed her forehead. Before she would have pulled away, now she melted under his touch. His eyes weren’t open completely. His hair was sticking up at every angle, his mouth in a slight pout. His hand stayed on the back of her neck, rubbing gently at the soft skin.

He blinked at her. He smiled, soft and sweet.

She kissed him in the same manner.

“What’s in the box?” Soonyoung asked, voice still laced with sleep.

She opened the box. Inside were matching cell phone charms, one shaped like a fox, the other like a bear. There was also a box of kit kats. And a letter for them.

Jihoon unfolded it. Soonyoung leaned on Jihoon’s shoulder as she read the letter out loud.

 

To Jihoon and Soonyoung,

I hope you two are happy together. I’m sorry I ever interfered in the first place. I bought you apology candy. And new phone charms because I feel bad about breaking the old ones. Well, I didn’t break them. You did. But it was my fault?? So I indirectly broke them. right? Maybe???

I hope you two stay together for a very, very long time.

Again I’m sorry,

Joonhwi.

 

Junhui paid for the food. The cart owner gave them a discount, because Junhui’s gentlemanly charms were hard to resist. (Her words, not his. Honest. Minghao still rolled his eyes and muttered _sure_ under his breath.)

“Thank you so much,” Junhui said. He carried the deukbokki and the large coke to the bench on the side of the street.

Hongdae was filled with people that night. Minghao had jumped on the bench as soon as a couple stopped kissing and walked hand in hand down the street. He laid across the bench to claim it.  He got a lot of angry glares, but he didn’t notice. He scrolled through his phone as he waited for Junhui.

“ _Here you go, payment for helping me yesterday,”_ Junhui said as he held out the food to Minghao.

Minghao laughed, “ _I didn’t need payment. It was fun_.”

“ _I know but still_ ,” Junhui said. He took out the two straws, one green and one blue, from his back pocket and stuck them in the drink. He drank from the blue one.

Minghao covered his mouth as he chewed the rice cake, “ _I had a good time. That was sweet of you to help the couple_.”

Junhui chuckled, “ _I broke them in the first place_.”

This was only the second time Junhui and Minghao hung out outside of school, but Junhui hadn’t paid attention the first time. His mind had been occupied with the get-Soonyoung-and-Jihoon-back-together plan. Now Junhui was free to look without distraction. Minghao’s blonde hair was brushed in waves. He wore an FC Barcelona jersey, and black skinny jeans. He dressed more casual than Junhui had expected. He looked nice.

Junhui asked, “ _You’ve never been to Korea before, have you_?”

“ _Nope,_ ” Minghao answered.

“ _If you don’t mind me asking, why did you move here_?”

Minghao paused. He slowly chewed a piece of rice cake, his eyes dulled ever so slightly. “ _My bio dad has a Chinese market over here. He let me move in with him_.”

Junhui twisted the soda in his hands. “ _Did he visit you before_?”

“ _I saw him like five times_ ,” Minghao spoke carefully, “ _he and my mom don’t get along_.”

The slope of his shoulders stiffened. Junhui bit his lip to refrain from asking any more questions.

A mom pushed a stroller past them, with a dog walking beside her.

Minghao asked for the soda. Junhui handed it to him and ate some of the dukkbokki.

“ _I expected it to be spicier. I’m disappointed_ ,” Minghao said. He drank from the green straw.

“ _This is nothing compared to Sichuan food_ ,” Junhui agreed. Then his face lit up, “ _There’s this little ramen shop down the street that is famous for being unbearably spicy. We should go one weekend_.”

_“Definitely.”_

_“I bet I can eat more than you_ ,” Minghao said.

 _“I bet you can’t_ ,” Junhui said.

“ _Challenge accepted_ ,” Minghao said. Then he laughed. Junhui laughed.

“ _Did you ever go to Beijing_ ,” Junhui asked.

“ _A few times_ ,” Minghao answered, “ _Did you_?”

“ _Once for a school trip_ ,” Junhui said. And then Junhui asked if Minghao ate that one stand on the street corner with the best street dumplings Junhui’s had in his entire life.

Minghao said no, but he promised to go next time.

The streets of Hongdae, illuminated by store signs and street lights, passed around them. They didn’t notice. In that moment, they were two boys on a city bench, with an empty Styrofoam cup, and a half-finished plate of street food, connected through a common language, and reminiscing on a shared country.

~~

 

Seungcheol opened the door wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants with a hole in both knees and one in the crotch.

On the other side of the doorway stood Jeonghan. Her hair was pulled into a low ponytail, she wore a tank top and dark jeans, and she held a non-descript brown bag in one hand and a plastic bag of Chinese take out in the other.

He checked the time on his phone. The clock said 10 pm. “What are you doing here so late?” Seungcheol asked.

Jeonghan shrugged as she stepped through the threshold. “I ordered too much food. Do you want to share it with me?”

Seungcheol nodded.

The door to the back porch was open. They could hear the city six floors below. The ate the black noodles in silence.

Seungcheol spoke first, “How did you order too much food?”

“My mom never came home,” Jeonghan said between bites, “She’s out getting drunk with her coworkers.”

Seungcheol noticed a third order in the bag. “And your dad?” He asked.

“In Bangkok until next Friday. He forgot to tell me.”

Seungcheol could only nod.

Jeonghan pushed the brown bag to Seungcheol. His eyebrows furrowed together. Jeonghan gestured at the bag with her chopsticks. Seungcheol peeked inside, his eyes widened when he saw the contents.

A new navy blue uniform blazer, in a size larger than his current one. Seungcheol held it up to his chest and unfolded the sleeves. A perfect fit. He stuttered, “How- how did you do this?”

Jeonghan swallowed the noodles in her mouth. “I told my mom that I ripped a hole in one of my blazers. She’s too lazy to sew so she gave me the money for a new one.”

Seungcheol peeked in the bag again. There were also new slacks and a white button up shirt.

“The pants cost more than the skirts so I couldn’t ask for more money. Mingyu and Junhui chipped in for the shirt. And Wonwoo donated a new pair of pants he had yet to wear. The waist should fit but the pantlegs might be a little long. Mingyu volunteered to hem them for you.”

Seungcheol felt his eyes watering, he rubbed them with his hand.

Jeonghan leaned on the table. “Is this why you didn’t join the basketball club this year.”

Seungcheol didn’t meet her gaze. “Money has been tight since my bother started college. I’m number one in my year so I got a scholarship but…”

Jeonghan didn’t push him. She watched as he fidgeted in his place.

“I couldn’t ask them to pay for the club fees, or the new shoes. I couldn’t even ask them for a dumb uniform.”

He didn’t continue. Jeonghan sighed, “You know you can ask if you need help?”

“Thanks,” Seungcheol said. “But you can’t solve everything.”

“We’ll do our best,” Jeonghan offered him a small smile.

He tried to return it. It tapered off into a frown.

Jeonghan grabbed the extra order of black beans and handed it across the table.

He graciously accepted it.

They finished the meal in comfortable silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jun and Ming are slowly becoming bros for life.  
> Jeonghan is the mom friend everyone needs


	8. Summer days drifting away (because you never leave your damn room)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The start of Act II
> 
> In which Jeonghan judges Junhui and Minghao for their (lack of) hygiene habits. And Junhui is totally a great Korean teacher, seriously, like the best, ever.

14.

The room was dark, except for the electric blue glow of Junhui’s laptop. On screen, Luffy had expanded three times his size.

On the floor, Junhui and Minghao, dressed in baggy t shirts and pajama pants, lay on top of three blankets. Minghao had his arms crossed on Junhui’s pillow. Junhui was working through their fourth bag of Doritos. Both boys had their eyes trained on the computer screen.

The door was thrown open, breaking the dark of Junhui’s room with a concentrated blinding light. The boys immediately closed their eyes. Minghao covered his face with the pillow. “It burns!” he screamed.

“Turn it off!”

Jeonghan rolled her eyes. She put a hand on her hip and asked, “When was the last time you two saw sunlight?”

“Don’t judge us, it’s the weekend,” Junhui blinked up at her.

“It’s Tuesday,” Jeonghan said.

“Huh. That long.” Junhui switched to mandarin, “ _Do you think your dad is back from China?_ ”

“ _He said he’d be gone for three days,”_ Minghao answered.

“ _You should call him_.”

“ _After this episode_.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be learning Korean?” Jeonghan asked.

“I am,” Minghao answered in a heavy accent. He pointed at the laptop screen. “The show is in Korean.”

Jeonghan looked at the screen. “With Chinese subtitles.”

“I’m still learning,” Minghao said with a smile.

Jeonghan paused the show, Minghao and Junhui protested. She drew back to the curtains.

“My eyes are burning!” Minghao shouted.

“She devil!” Junhui leaned away from the sunlight.

“Whatever,” Jeonghan fell onto Junhui’s bed, “I can’t believe you two are my last resort.”

“We don’t appreciate being anyone’s last place, right Minghao?”

Minghao nodded in affirmation.

Junhui fell onto the bed, next to Jeonghan. He asked, “Where’s Jihoon?”

“On a date with Soonyoung,” Jeonghan scoffed, “Now that their relationship is public she spends all her time with him. And brags about it too. Our kakao conversations are just selfies of her dates.”

Minghao sat down at the head of the bed, “What about Mingyu?”

“Summer basketball practice,” Jeonghan said. “Even Wonwoo is at a cousin’s wedding. And Seungcheol has a job.”

“So you came to us last?”

“Don’t be a diva. I texted you first but you never responded,” Jeonghan said.

Junhui frowned. He stood up and examined the floor. He kicked over a pizza box, revealing his cell phone. He held it over his head in triumph. “Found it!”

“That’s gross.”

“You’re gross,” Minghao said.

“See, he’s learning Korean. I’m a great teacher,” Junhui said.

“Whatever,” Jeonghan scoffed.

Junhui had three text messages from Jeonghan, and one each from both Seungkwan and Vernon asking if he wanted to go to the mall.

“The babies want to hang out,” Junhui said.

“Where?”

“The mall, maybe we could catch a movie.”

“Okay, but only if you two shower,” Jeonghan agreed.

“We’re clean,” Minghao said with a pout

Jeonghan pushed his face away. “You thought it was the weekend. Go shower now!”

~~

“This isn’t the mall,” Minghao said carefully, as if he weighed each word on his tongue.

The stood in front of a fried chicken restaurant. A chicken wearing a hat was on the logo and the delivery scooter was parked in front.

“I need to mock someone first,” Jeonghan said as she walked through the doors. Minghao turned to Junhui for an explanation. Junhui shrugged, he had none.

The restaurant was mostly empty, save for three giggling girls in the far back table. There wasn’t an apron clad employee working behind the counter.

If Jeonghan noticed this, she didn’t mention anything. She picked up a printed menu and read over the options.

“Does anyone work here?” Junhui asked. He stepped up next to Jeonghan, with Minghao a few steps behind.

“Someone does.” She flipped the menu over.

“Someone will be with you in a momen-” the employee stepped out of the back room, and saw Jeonghan leaning against the counter. She smirked and waved at him. Junhui stared wide eyed.

The employee was Seungcheol, wearing an obnoxious bright red franchise t shirt and a visor on his head, with a bag of chicken in his hand ready to be delivered.

His face fell, “Shit.”

“Seungcheol, be a man and buy this for me,” Jeonghan waved the menu in front of him.

“Fuck no.”

“Why not?”

“I have to leave now,” Seungcheol said. He brushed past a giggling Jeonghan and a still awe struck Junhui. He paused when he reached the door. He turned around, face set in a glare, and pointed his finger at Jeonghan. He threatened, “You better not be here when I get back.”

To Jeonghan, Seungcheol was as intimidating as a newborn kitten.

She leaned against the counter, smiled a cheeky smile, and asked, “What about tomorrow?”

“Jeonghan, if you know what’s good for you, you will leave.” Seungcheol stepped out of the restaurant. They watched as he got on the scooter and drove off.

Jeonghan smirked. She held out the menu in front of her and said, “We should buy enough for Seungkwan and Hansol too.”

“Let’s get sweet and sour,” Minghao said excitedly.

“Of course you’d learn food first.”

They poured over the menu and decided what to order. They played rock, paper scissors. Junhui lost. He paid for everything.

~~

For the third time, the call went straight to voicemail.

Junhui glared at his phone. He faced Jeonghan. She raised an eyebrow at him. He shook his head, no. She groaned.

“We come here for the kids, and they can’t even meet with us,” Jeonghan shouted, exasperated.

“The movie started a half hour ago, we got here too late,” Junhui defended them.

Jeonghan slouched further on the bench. Minghao sat next to her on the bench with the open box of chicken on his lap. He bit into another wing, and made happy little noises with each smile.

“Well aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”

They all turned to the water fountain. There stood Mingyu. Her hair in a long ponytail, her school hoodie on, and a duffel bag on her shoulder. She waved, “Hi.”

“Hey, what are you doing here?” Jeonghan asked.

“Practice let out early,” Mingyu said, as she dropped her duffel bag on the floor and sat down on the other side of Jeonghan. “Seungkwan told me she’d be at the mall, I was hoping to run into her.”

“You just missed her. She and Hansol are in theater,” Junhui explained.

Minghao wiped the chicken grease from one of his hands. Then held it out in a fist in front of Jeonghan. Mingyu fist bumped it. “Darn. I guess I have to hang out with you instead.”

Jeonghan’s expression brightened, she sat up straighter. “This is perfect,” she whispered to herself. She stood up from the bench, startling the rest of the group. “I now have a wingman.”

“I thought I was your wingman,” Junhui said.

“You can’t be my wingman because you’ll try to steal the girl from me,” Jeonghan accused.

Junhui couldn’t deny it.

Jeonghan leaned into Mingyu’s space, “You’re so tall, girls will love you. And when they find out you are woefully straight, I can swoop in and cheer them up. They will be touched by sympathy, and enamored with my good looks. Before you know it I’ll have a week’s worth of dates.”

Minghao blinked up at her.

Mingyu pushed Jeonghan away.

“Where are you going to find these love struck girls?” Junhui asked.

Jeonghan chuckled. She stepped away from Mingyu. She wrapped an arm around Junhui’s shoulders and patted his cheek. “Oh you deer sweet naïve Junhui. Look around.”

He looked at the water fountain. The food court. The second and third level stores.

“We’re at a mall. Where every desperate girl goes, in blind hopes that she’ll catch someone’s eye. And today that someone is me.”

Jeonghan released Junhui. She jumped on to the water fountain’s edge. “Behold the snapback and tank top combination, alerting every lesbian in the vicinity that I am very gay and would very much like to take them on a date. Also my rack looks great in this shirt!”

She took a moment to stand in silent triumph.

Mingyu had pulled out her phone halfway through Jeonghan’s speech.

Minghao happily ate the chicken.

Junhui chose to indulge in his best friend’s antics. He stared at her chest. He shrugged, “They look kind of flat.”

Jeonghan glared.

Junhui shrugged.

Jeonghan stepped down from the fountain. Jeonghan asked, “Well how do guys look hot?”

“I think we have to wear button up shirts and roll up our sleeves?” Junhui said.

“It’s too hot for that,” Minghao whined.

“Let’s buy muscle tanks instead.”

“Great plan,” Junhui said. He fist bumped Minghao.

Jeonghan leaned onto Mingyu. “Mingyu, you’re my only hope. Save me from the brutish nightmare that is teenage boys.”

Mingyu patted Jeonghan’s head in false sympathy. “I can’t. My best friend is one of those nightmares.”

“Your best friend isn’t one of them. He’s the king nightmare. Have you heard some of his satan summoning rock bands,” Jeonghan said.

“Wonwoo is your best friend?” Junhui asked.

Mingyu nodded.

“You have poor taste,” Junhui said.

Jeonghan glared. Mingyu chose to ignore it.

“That was nice of you to help Jihoon and Soonyoung get back together,” Mingyu said. Then she smiled.

Junhui felt himself blush. He scratched the back of his neck and mumbled, “It was nothing…”

“No it meant everything. Now they’re happier than before,” Mingyu said. Her smile grew wider. Her teeth were white and perfectly straight, “Thank you for doing that.”

Junhui stared at the ground.

Mingyu looked at her phone. She pushed Jeonghan off her. “That was my mom. I have to go now.”

She picked up her duffel bag. “Say hi to Seungkwan and Hansol for me.” She waved, and then she was off.

Junhui watched her leave.

Jeonghan laid down on the bench. “It’s your fault they broke up in the first place.”

“Shut your whore mouth,” Junhui said.

“At least my mouth gets more action than yours does.”

Junhui and Jeonghan continued to argue.

Minghao ate a whole box of chicken by himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just fun in between stuff to get the next part of the story started. I know it's winter but the story in summer mode now, hooray for tank tops and snapbacks.
> 
> We're catching to the parts I've had solidly written so now I've got start typing plot stuff again and not just useless in between cute interactions. sigh. Also this is the fourth chapter without Seungkwan. Blasphemy!


	9. Dammit Junhui has Another Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> School is starting up soon, so the boys (and Jeonghan) make the most of their last days of freedom. Junhui reveals his latest romantic prospect and everyone want s to kick his ass.

15.

At the basketball courts attached to the school. Seungcheol, Soonyoung, and Jeonghan played HORSE. Seungcheol was in the lead, but in his defense Jeonghan was playing one handed and used the other to hold a lit cigarette. Soonyoung had no excuse, he sucked at basketball. But what he lacked in schools he made up for in enthusiasm. He threw his arms in the air as the basketball he threw didn’t touch the backboard.

Wonwoo sat on the stands smoking a cigarette of his own. The crazy bastard wore a black Bullet for my Valentine hoodie even under the hot summer sun. Junhui sat near Wonwoo, but not near enough that the nicotine scent bothered him. He stared out at the court, trying to pay attention but not really. His mind wandered to tan skin, long legs, and dark hair tied in a ponytail.

“I think I like Mingyu,” Junhui said.

Everyone stopped. Wonwoo dropped the cigarette he had been holding.

Junhui reflexively caught the basketball that Jeonghan chucked at his head. He called out in surprise, “What the heck?”

“Did you learn nothing from your last crush?” Seungcheol asked.

“You spent all that time trying to steal Jihoon from Soonyoung,” Jeonghan shouted.

Soonyoung spoke, in a normal tone, “In my defense, he didn’t know that Jihoon and I were dating. And I kind of helped him.”

“Don’t defend him,” Jeonghan groaned. She pointed at Junhui with her lit cigarette. “Stop trying to date my friends.”

“Maye he’s going after your friends because he trusts that you have good judgement,” Soonyoung said.

Jeonghan glared.

Soonyoung gave a smile, as if to say _I won._

Jeonghan crossed her arms over her chest and spoke seriously, “Jun is girl crazy because he bet me that he could get a girlfriend before I do.”

Soonyoung’s eyes widened. His smile quickly fell but in no time at all it had returned wider than ever. He stepped in Junhui’s space. “You were only after my girlfriend to win a bet?” Soonyoung’s tone was causal, but there was a fire raging in his eyes

Junhui dropped the basketball and leaned away from Soonyoung. He held ups his hands in surrender. “I thought she was very cute.”

“Heh, heh cute.” Soonyoung’s hand had a tight grip on Junhui’s shirt sleeve.

Wonwoo glared at Junhui. He pulled another cigarette from the carton in the pocket of his ripped skinny jeans and placed it on his lips. Jeonghan held out her hand. Wonwoo glared at the offending object.

“I’ll buy you more on the way home,” Jeonghan said.

Wonwoo held out the carton out her. She smiled as she took one.

Seungcheol watched Soonyoung begin his never ending rant on Junhui. Seungcheol spoke, “I would be careful when fighting him, Soonyoung.”

Soonyoung turned to Seungcheol, the fire in his eyes still ablaze. Seungcheol swallowed. He dribbled the ball between his legs, to avoid Soonyoung’s gaze. “Junhui knows how to fight.”

“You learned martial arts?” Soonyoung asked.

“Yeah, when I lived in China,” Junhui answered.

The fire in Soonyoung’s eyes dissipated. His face curved into a familiar smile. “I learned hapkido,” Soonyoung said. He released his grip on Junhui’s sleeve. His legs spread into a sturdy position, his pose turned determined and he said, “Fight me.”

Junhui’s gaze intensified. He kicked. Soonyoung smacked it away. Soonyoung parried. Junhui dodged.

Seungcheol sat down next to Jeonghan. He crossed his arms over the basketball and huffed, “And now they’re friends for life.”

“How? Ten minutes ago he wanted to kill Jun,” Jeonghan asked.

“Guys don’t hold grudges,” Wonwoo explained.

Junhui back flipped to dodge a kick from Soonyoung, his face stretched into a wide grin.

“Idiots,” Jeonghan scoffed.

“What about girls?” Seungcheol asked. He tried to spin the basketball on his finger. It fell off. He let it roll.

“I lent my copy of twilight to Myungeun when I was twelve,” Jeonghan spoke. She twisted the cigarette in her hands. “She returned it a week later with wet pages. Apparently, the dumb bitch thought it would be a good idea to read in the bathtub.”

Seungcheol spoke carefully, “So until she’s dead?”

“Nah, I’ll hate her in the afterlife too,” Jeonghan said with a laugh.

Seungcheol shivered. Girls were scary.

They watched as Soonyoung and Junhui continued their fight on the basketball court. Their movements slowed with each passing motion. The heat was winning against them.

Wonwoo followed Junhui’s every movement with his eyes. He exhaled a stream of smoke, “I think Jun is going to win the bet.”

Seunghcheol turned to face Wonwoo. Jeonghan stilled, “The fuck?”

“Jun is an idiot, but he’s still a guy. Seungcheol was right, what are the chances of there being another lesbian at school?”

Seungcheol opened his mouth, then shut it tight. He chewed on his lower lip with words better left unsaid.

Jeonghan stared at Wonwoo. Her cigarette burned to a stub. It burnt her finger, “Ow,” she dropped it and stuck her finger in her mouth.

Wonwoo smashed the cigarette butt with his foot.

“I thought you would be on my side,” Jeonghan said in a small voice.

“I’m sorry,” Wonwoo said.

Soonyoung and Junhui admitted defeat. They lay down on the basketball court panting heavily.

“Who won?” Seungcheol asked, desperate to break the silence on the bleachers.

“It’s a draw,” Soonyoung huffed out.

“I haven’t practiced in months,” Junhui whined.

Soonyoung slapped Junhui’s stomach. “Shut up.”

“Soonyoungie,” a small voice sung out from the entrance to the basketball courts.

The people on the bleachers turned toward the voice. Soonyoung sat upright. Junhui continued to lay.

A small girl walked up to them. Her black hair was in a long braid down her back. She wore the school the uniform of the middle school attached their high school.

“Channie,” Soonyoung sung out, “What are you doing here?”

“I needed help with my summer homework, so I came to the school to see the middle school tutors,” she said. “Also, Jihoon noona called. She wants to know why you aren’t picking up your phone?”

Soonyoung pointed at Wonwoo. Wonwoo pulled Soonyoung’s phone from the pocket in his hoodie. “You have two missed calls,” Wonwoo said.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Soonyoung asked.

“The vibrations annoyed me, so I turned them off,” Woonwoo explained. He tossed the phone to Soonyoung. Soonyoung caught it with both hands. He glared at Wonwoo, then checked his notifications.

He stood up. “Everyone, this is my neighbor Chan.”

Chan raised her hand in greeting.

“Chan, these are the losers I call my friends,” Soonyoung said while pouting at the people on the bleachers.

Jeonghan scoffed.

Wonwoo muttered, “Who are you calling a loser?”

Seongcheol waved at Chan, and said, “Nice to meet you.”

“And that one?” Chan pointed at Junhui, still collapsed on the basketball court.

“He’s Jun. I guess we can be friends, since we’re no longer rivals for my girlfriend’s affection,” Soonyoung explained. He dropped his phone on Junhui’s stomach. Junhui wheezed at the impact. “Put your number in my phone. I have an idea I want to run by you.”

“Sure,” Junhui agreed. He squinted at the screen, the background image was a photo of Soonyoung kissing Jihoon on the cheek. Junhui smiled to himself.

He handed the phone back to Soonyoung. Soonyoung and Chan waved good bye, then they took off.

Seungcheol walked to the end of the basketball court and picked up the ball.

“Hey Seungcheol,” Jeonghan called out.

Seungcheol turned to the bleachers to the look at her.

Her mouth pulled to a smirk. She was shameless in her request, “I’ll pay you to do my summer homework.”

“Me too,” Wonwoo added.

Junhui sat up and asked, “Oh can I get in on this?”

Seungcheol groaned. “Have any of you even started?”

“No,” they all answered.

Seungcheol’s head fell back and he looked up at the sky. He wanted the sun to burn his corneas. He wanted the sun to burn his friends down to ash, so that he may start anew with people who aren’t slackers. He sighed.

~~

 

16.

The returning club members had to return to school a week early to set up classrooms and organize their recruitment strategies for the club fair. Technically the foreigner club was an unofficial on the school and therefore did not need to meet a week early, but Mrs. Jung wanted to throw a pizza party for them. She had missed her “children” as she referred to them in the email.

Junhui had chuckled when he read it. He thought of her smiling face, and how she still mixed up tones when she spoke mandarin. He found himself missing her familiar tone.

Junhui spent Sunday night helping his mother cook a big tray of fried rice for the party.

He walked to school by himself that Monday, Minghao was in China for one more week and Hansol lived in the opposite direction.

Junhui walked into the school, to the locker room.

He yawned.

He blinked at his locker. He must be seeing things. He rubbed at his eyes and looked again. No, it was still there.

Inside his locker was a small pink envelope, sealed with a heart shaped sticker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thus we reach the plot of Act 2, Jun likes Mingyu (who doesn't) and he has an anonymous love note
> 
> I didn't realize how many chapters didn't have the first years when I designed the outline. I miss them, they're so cute D: 
> 
> Also I did a writing challenge recently where i wrote 30k words in a week (one week how dafuq did I do that) which meant my writing style vastly improved but it also differs greatly from the tone of this story... I'm going to do my best to keep the integrity of this fic but if the chapters start getting a lot longer and the descriptions become more descriptive that's the reason why


	10. A Letter That is Read More Times Than the Bible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> School started and Junhui is asking everyone about who the author is of his love letter.
> 
> Also Jihoon is forcing people into her club

17.

Jisoo held a letter up close to her face. It was the letter left in Junhui;s locker, unfolded, tinted pink, and scented with the lingering smell of bubblegum. Jisoo held the letter mere centimeters away from her nose. Her cat eyes were squinted in concentration.

Jisoo had gotten an undercut over the summer, and her hair had been dyed a bright shade of ginger, courtesy of her friend in LA who, quote, “totally knew how to dye hair.” Oh, and there was a new, self-inflicted, cross piercing in her left ear. Her navy blue blazer hung off the back of the chair.

She pulled the letter away from her face, then towards it.

Junhui tapped on the table.

Jisoo moved the paper back and forth. Again. For the seventh time.

“Well?” Junhui said in exasperation.

“I can’t read it,” Jisoo said with a shrug.

Junhui groaned.

Minghao patted his shoulder in sympathy.

Hansol snatched the letter from Jisoo’s hand. He scanned over its contents. He said, “I think it’s fake. Who would leave Junhui hyung a love letter?”

Junhui placed a hand over his heart. “You wound me Choi Hansol.”

“I’m sure every girl in school knows about your bet,” Hansol said.

“Only because you and Seungkwan keep frikkin advertising it to every one on the damn planet,” Junhui fired back.

“Watch your language, we’re in a school,” Jisoo slapped Junhui’s shoulder.

Junhui huffed.

Mingha gently  took the letter from Hansol’s hands. He read it slowly, he was still unfamiliar with Korean characters. “The handwriting is very… messy. I think someone young wrote this.”

“Like a first year?” Jisoo asked.

“No, younger than that,” Minghao said. He lay the letter flat on the table. “ _Maybe one of the middle schoolers saw Junhui’s sharp nose and fell madly in love with him,”_ Minghao said, in mandarin, with a cheeky smile.

Junhui glared.

Minghao turned his head in a cute tilt.

“ _Fuck you,”_ Junhui said.

“ _No thanks,_ ” Minghao brushed Junhui off.

Hansol and Jisoo glared at the two Mandarin speakers from where they sat across the table. When it became increasingly obvious that Junhui and Minghao forgot about them, they turned to each other and started speaking in English.

Minghao and Junhui didn’t notice.

Minghao played with the eraser on the table. He said, “ _They’re going to send us to our homerooms soon.”_

 _“We should look at the club tables together. We haven’t really had time to talk,”_ Junhui said with a pout.

“ _Sorry. My dad and I flew in yesterday. We had to get the shop ready, there wasn’t a lot of time,”_ Minghao explained. He flicked the eraser.

It hit the palm of Junhui’s hand. Junhui glared. “ _Soonyoung asked me to join his dance club. Do you want to join with me?”_

Minghao blinked in surprise. He scratched at the back of his head and mumbled, “ _Sure, I guess. It’ll give me something to do after school.”_

Junhui smiled. “ _Great. I’ll text Soonyoung.”_ Junhui flicked the eraser back to Minghao. It hit his cheek. Minghao scrunched up his nose. Junhui laughed. Minghao laughed too.

 

 

18.

Besides homeroom, all other classes were cancelled for the day. And homeroom hadn’t been a full class. The teachers called attendance, then released the students who were running tables at the club fair, the rest were left to talk amongst themselves.

“Consider this,” Jeonghan said. She held up her hair tied in a ponytail, “Purple hair.”

Junhui squinted in exaggerated thought, he rubbed at his chin to play it up. He asked, “What kind of purple?”

Jeonghan shrugged. “Seungkwan said I should do a light purple, like lilac or something.”

“If it’s a suggestion from Seungkwan, I vote no,” Junhui said.

Jeonghan glared. “She’s a good kid.”

“With terrible ideas,” Junhui said. “Remember the time she told me she was great at waxing. I had to draw in my left eyebrow for months.”

“Why did you let her do it? She was twelve,” Jeonghan had no sympathy.

“You told me to get to know her better,” Junhui said. “I took casualties.”

“And now you’re better friends than ever,” Jeonghan reached across the desk and squished Junhui’s cheeks.

“She’s cockblocking me with her stupid bet,” Junhui complained, voice distorted.

“One, you started the bet,” Jeonghan said. She lightly slapped Junhui’s cheek. “And two, obviously, she didn’t if you’re getting love letters.”

Junhui pushed her hands off. “What if she wrote it? I know she bet on you, maybe she’s sabotaging me to give you more time.”

“We both know that’s not her hand writing,” Jeonghan leaned back on her chair, “Besides that’s too devious of a plan for her. Seungkwan may be passionate, but she’s harmless.”

This is true. Even when Seungkwan had waxed Junhui it had been painless. Or maybe Junhui didn’t feel pain because he was in shock from losing an eyebrow. He wasn’t sure. He couldn’t remember.

The other students were soon released from their very productive homeroom classes. Jeonghan followed Junhui to the first year hallway where Minghao waited for them at the staircase.

Junhui hugged Minghao, “ _How was Liaoning?”_

 _“I didn’t go. My dad talked to suppliers in Bei Jing,”_ Minghao answered, “ _How was Seoul?”_

 _“Unbearably hot,”_ Junhui complained, “ _I can’t wait for summer to end.”_

Jeonghan coughed into her fist.

The two boys turned to her.

Minghao spoke Korean in a heavy accent, “How was your summer?”

Jeonghan shrugged, “Terrible. I didn’t get a girlfriend and I spent most of my time with this loser-” she pointed at Junhui- “or Seungcheol.”

 “I’m not a loser,” Junhui defended himself. “And Seungcheol gave us free chicken from his job.”

“Oh yeah, that was nice.”

“We should check out the clubs now,” Junhui said. The other two easily agreed and followed him to the courtyard.

“I’m surprised you two didn’t leave early,” Jeonghan said.

Junhui and Minghao et gazed, Minghao had a question on his eyes, Junhui could only shrug. “Where would we go?” Junhui asked.

“Doesn’t the foreign club have a table?” Jeonghan asked.

Minghao frowned.

Junhui spoke for he and Minghao, “It’s more of an invite only club. You have to have to be a foreigner to join.”

“What he said,” Minghao agreed.

“Fine be exclusive,” Jeonghan groaned. They reached the courtyard. Every club had a table with a bulletin board and brochures. The baseball team lead a chant. The swim team demonstrated different strokes in their very skin tight bathing suits. Jeonghan and Junhui would have lied if they said they didn’t look for longer than necessary. Jeonghan picked up a brochure from every table they passed, she made sure to be discreet so that no one at the table would talk to her.

Jeonghan had to speak louder to be heard, “What do you even do in the club?”

Minghao answered, “Complain about Korean.”

“Bambam taught us how to say ‘suck my dick’ in Thai,” Junhui said.

“Oh, and Sana taught us ‘fuck off’ in Japanese,” Minghao added.

“Sounds so productive,” Jeonghan said. She picked up a brochure from the computer club table, and added it to her growing stack.

“Are you joining a club this year?” Junhui asked.

“Yeah, I’m tired of my mom always nagging me about how I’m not feminine enough,” Jeonghan groaned. “If I’m not home after school then she can’t nag me.”

“ _I see holes in this plan_ ,” Minghao said in mandarin.

“What was that?” Jeonghan asked.

“Noona, you’re pretty,” Minghao said in Korean, his eyes smiled with the phrase.

Jeonghan looked at Minghao. Minghao blinked at her, the definition of innocence. Jeonghan smiled, “Thank you.”

“ _How do you do that?”_ Junhui asked.

Minghao pointed at his giant anime eyes. “ _Look this cute and you can say anything.”_

Jihoon sat at the choir table, her long pink hair was separated into braids, and she fanned herself with one of the club brochures. Junhui noticed that her table was the only one in the shade. Junhui felt sorry for the poor club president she chased to get the prime real estate. Jeonghan leaned on the table, the first club president with whom she started a conversation.

“So why a club this year?” Jeonghan asked.

“Being a club president looks good on college applications,” Jihoon answered.

Junhui admired her drive.

“Junhui, Minghao, do you want to join? We need more guys. So far Seokmin is the only one who signed up,” Jihoon explained. She pointed at the sign up sheet with her fan/brochure.

“Sorry, we already joined your boyfriend’s dance club,” Junhui gestured at both he and Minghao.

Jihoon switched targets. “What about you Jeonghan? Your singing voice is decent.”

“And make my mom happy?” Jeonghan scoffed, “No thanks.”

“Jihoon, this may be a long shot,” Junhui pulled the letter from his blazer pocket and handed it to her, “But do you know who wrote this?”

Jihoon unfolded the letter. She squinted at the handwriting. “This looks like a child’s handwriting.”

Minghao beamed. Junhui rolled his eyes.

Jihoon handed the letter back to Junhui. “Ask Chan. She’s the youngest person I know,” she said.

Junhui folded the letter and placed it back in his blazer pocket. “When will I get a chance to talk to her? She’s in middle school, I never go there.”

“Her cousin is a member of Soonyoung’s dance club,” Jihoon explained.

Minghao frowned in confusion.

Jihoon waved her hand dismissively, “He really wanted to join since the middle school doesn’t have their own dance team. Soonyoung got him special permission or something.”

“Are you going to lure any middle schoolers?” Jeonghan asked.

Jihoon looked away. “I’m not good with young people,” she mumbled, “That’s Soonyoung’s thing.”

Jeonghan poked Jihoon’s cheek. Jihoon smacked Jeonghan’s hand away. Jeonghan laughed. Jihoon pouted. A grumpy pout but a pout nonetheless.

“Thanks for the help,” Junhui said. He read over the choir club sign up list. His eyes widened. “Seungkwan signed up and Hansol didn’t? Did he finally grow a spine?” Junhui laughed to himself.

“Oh, that I made her join,” Jihoon said. “She sings to herself when she thinks she’s the only one in the bathroom. That voice is too good to keep hidden.”

Junhui’s smile dropped. He held the sign up list to the poster board Jihoon made and compared the handwriting. They matched.

“Does Seungkwan know she’s a club member?” Minghao asked, voice nervous.

Jihoon waved dismissively, “She’ll find out eventually.”

Junhui placed the sign-up list back on the table. He and Minghao took three steps back. Then they took off running.

Jeonghan laughed. “You scare them.”

“I scare everybody,” JIhoon beamed. Then her expression turned serious. “In all honesty, you should join the club.”

“Why should I?” Jeonghan asked.

“The new girl joined, I think you two would make great friends,” Jihoon said.

“How do you know?” Jeonghan asked.

“You have a lot in common,” Jihoon said.

Jeonghan pulled out her phone, already bored of the conversation. She spoke, “That doesn’t mean anything.”

“I think you two will _really_ get along,” Jihoon emphasized.

Jeonghan squinted at Jihoon. She spoke cautiously, “I’ll consider it.”

Jihoon smiled one of those smiles that sent shivers down Jeonghan’s spine. “Good enough for me.”

Jihoon really was terrifying. Jeonghan felt lucky, not for the first time, that Jihoon was on her team. They spent the rest of the day trading stories about their respective summers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I miss Seungkwan :( At least Jisoo looks cute (in my head) with her new haircut.


End file.
